Released: 15th April 2021
Length: 142 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Director: Ryuchi Hiroki
Starring: Kiko Mizuhara and Honami Sato
Japanese director Ryuichi Hiroki has built a strong reputation on intimate and personal stories. After making the transition to mainstream cinema in the 1990s, his films have taken on a deeper set of emotions. Ride Or Die is one of few releases to arrive in both home and international territories simultaneously and it features a powerful story.
Based on the manga Gunjo by Ching Nakamura, we follow Rei Nagasawa (Kiko Mizuhara) and Nanae Shinoda (Honami Sato); two lovers who have been close since school. It opens with a murder, that of Nanae’s abusive husband; Rei commits the act to declare her love, but as they are forced to evade the authorities, an emotional strain slowly develops. The more they run, the more intense the feelings between them grow. The film’s greatest strength is how the couple shift between a fiery desire and deep frustration over their current situation. It alternates seamlessly between past and present as we learn more about their close bond. If there’s one downside to the story, it’s that the occasional side incursions involving different characters can break up the pacing somewhat. One moment we’re watching the pair flee on a bike and the next we’re watching a drawn-out argument between their acquaintances.
Being so heavily focused on a small cast, both Kiko Mizuhara and Honami Sato do a fantastic job in their roles. The personalities of the two characters and the stress they’re put under pull back and forth very convincingly. Rei often loses faith in herself as she has previously sold her body to get by whereas Nanae has been left shaken by the physical abuse she has suffered previously. The heart of the narrative sees the two grappling with these internal struggles while pursuing their own whirlwind romance. Once again, these two performances are so strong that when side characters enter the scene to comment on their decisions, it comes off as a little lacking in comparison.
Much like the director’s previous efforts, the camerawork of Ride Or Die feels intimate and personal. It’s incredibly well focused on placing the camera within each setting. We the audience feel as if we’re observing the characters in the background, standing in the same room or other location. This is especially true for the very explicit sexual content which will often home in on the character’s faces to hammer home the more violent emotions. The shots linger on the leads in everything they do and the soundtrack also serves a strong complement to the proceedings. Composer Haruomi Hosono uses a mixture of traditional pieces and heart-warming modern tracks to enhance the tone. The same is true for the more sweeping landscapes Rei and Nanae travel through which are marked by many pleasant views. For much of the production, the aesthetics represent the feeling of freedom the characters are chasing; when this collides with an inescapable reality, it’s just as effective as other elements.
While at points it may be slowed by odd scenes and underdeveloped side characters, Ride Or Die does succeed in its bid to convey an emotional and poignant relationship. The bond between its two leads is raw and powerful, overcoming much of the film’s shortcomings. Thanks to some great direction from its framing, it’s able to draw the audience in.
Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)
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