Somehow, I just couldn't keep this to myself. As an avid movie goer, I tend to be highly critical of the things that I watch. Objectively speaking, I could probably point out a plot hole or two here. Ultimately, though, for me, any technical faults in this movie were completely erased by the powerful emotional message that it sends... Suicide. Not a popular topic. And I can't possibly begin to presume that I have a deep and intimate understanding of all it entails. But as someone whose best friend has long battled with suicidal thoughts, this movie hit really close to home. To me, it seems like the ultimate fantasy of anyone who is/was close to a suicidal person. It's like the movie was split between reality and fantasy. The fantasy, beautiful as it was, was the parallel world in which Kakeru was saved. And the reality was the future in which he was gone. His friends and loved ones could have as many wishful thoughts as they want, write countless letters, but nothing they could do would turn back time. Ultimately, they had to continue in the world without Kakeru. I view the parallel world (their past selves) as their manner of coping with their regret. It is the manifestation of what they wish could have happened. And this may be presumptuous of me, but I think anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide has dreamt up such a fantasy. A world in which they were able to correct their mistakes, do everything right, and get through to their loved one. That's what made the scene where Kakeru is comforted by his friends after crashing his bike so poignant to me. I wish all suicidal cases could end that way.
I know that this movie has romanticized and painted things up quite a bit, but I still think that it can serve as an awareness of sorts. Maybe we can't have convenient warnings in the form of letters from the future, but perhaps if we all pay more careful attention to the people in our lives and exert a bit of stubbornness (like the characters in this movie), we might also be able to prevent a tragedy. Am I alone in this?
