Review of High and Low (1933) by Kevin N — 02 Apr 2009
A superb and complex thriller that works both as riveting entertainment and an ambiguous critique of class struggle. Kurosawa actually strikes a Hitchcockian vein for the first half of the story- seeing Kurosawa's characters interact within such a confined space is a treat, especially when the actors are this talented.
Toshiro Mifune is superb in his performance as a surprisingly flawed person blinded by the spoils of his fortune. Yutaka Sada is the biggest gem here; he binds the communication gap between the rich and the poor in a totally sympathetic and tragic way- for me, he was the driving subject of the film.
Kurosawa has an easy and relaxed quality of telling a story, even when the plot is this tense, and his world becomes flawlessly synonomous with ours, regardless of whether its in an ancient village or a busy city.
This review of High and Low (1933) was written by Kevin N on 02 Apr 2009.
High and Low has generally received positive reviews.
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