Hirokazu Koreeda is one of the most underrated directors of our time. Time and time again he comes up with something that is at once original and yet accessible. His 2004 "Nobody Knows" is no different. The film is based on the 1988 true story known as "The event of the four abandoned children." Four children between the ages of 5 and 12, each having different fathers, are abandoned by the mother. They are forced to rely on each other to survive on their own. Though it is based on the true story, only the setting of Sugamo and the ending are factual. The film's version of the story is far less grisly. The film is not told in a sentimental, Hollywoodish type of way. Rather the camera almost spies on these children in an emotionally detached manner. We, like the camera, can do nothing for these poor children. Though the film is in a subdued, objective style, it still manages to induces compassion on the part of the viewers. This is why Koreeda is such a brilliant contemporary filmmaker. Of course, Koreeda couldn't have done it without his stellar cast of young child non-actors. Though they primarily function as a symbol for society's neglect of youngsters, they give moving performances that doubtless will make you smile and cry. It's perhaps a bit longer than it needs to be, but I've found this to be only a problem on second and third viewings. Lucky for all of us, it's on Netflix! Check out this exemplar of my favorite kind of filmmaking.
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