Most art-house cinephiles are curious to know what Hirokazu Kore-eda “The Truth” will look like. After all, it is the Japanese director’s first movie not shot in his native tongue. There is already news that Kore-eda's latest has sold to multiple distributors including IFC for the US — the IFC acquisition does strike one as underwhelming, especially after winning the Palme d’Or just last year for “Shoplifters”. You would think an A24 or Sony Pictures Classics would be a better fit. Then again, red flags have no doubt been thrown all around “The Truth” these last few weeks, its snub from the New York Film Festival, and the possibility that it may very well not show up at Telluride, have turned anticipation for this movie slightly down a notch.
We already have this first poster for the film, which makes the whole thing look like a “Hallmark Movie.” Of course, it’s just a poster.
UPDATE: A 30-second teaser has also been released:
The plot revolves around Fabienne (Catherine Deneuve), a French cinema star set to publish her memoirs as her daughter (Juliette Binoche) returns from New York with her husband (Ethan Hawke), for the launch of the book. The reunion soon turns bad as the “true story of their lives emerges.”
As mentioned earlier, Kore-eda’s last film, “Shoplifters,” won the Palme d’Or last year — it ended up grossing $3.3 million in the U.S, and $69.4 million abroad, for a worldwide total of $72.7 million (I’m sure its budget couldn’t be more a million dollars). Regardless, this was the “I told you so!” moment for Kore-eda’s fans, many of whom have been praising the 57-year-old director’s works since his 1995 breakthrough “Maborosi” Yes, Kore-eda is not a spring chicken, he’s been at the game now for almost 30 years, releasing well-praised movies such as “After Life,” “Still Walking,” “Like Father Like Son” and “After the Storm” in the process, but he never truly hit the big time until that surprise Cannes win last year.
Here’s hoping “The Truth” is a great movie.
The film is at its best when it’s simply being loud and messy — which isn’t enough of the time. And it’s fitting that a movie about The Sun should feel exactly that way.