Kuchinai Sakura is a visually appealing film set in semi-rural Aichi prefecture, Japan, with a solid cast, an exemplary soundtrack, and a rather unexpected plot.

Yes, this is a crime mystery drama film. However, the synopsis, while looking like it gives away too much, barely scratches the surface. There is a complexity, weaving all the threads together to tell the story. Most pleasingly for me was the subtle but largely unexpressed undertone of something else, of a softer nature that plays to contrast to the stark events of the opening.

If you are looking for an action-thriller crime drama, best look elsewhere. This is a dialogue-heavy film and linguistically challenging for those who might see it in cinemas. It isn’t absent of all action, but it certainly focuses more on nuance.

The pinnacle of this film, for me, was the final scene. The choice to conduct the ending in the way they did was thought provoking, emotion-driving, and I love the refusal to give the “clean cut” closure many would want from such a film. To put it simply, this film does not stray from the realm of plausible reality, and that is very much a strength.