Film ● Review: Faceless

Very Average Joe
May 3
3 min read

Updated: May 15

English Title: Faceless

Japanese Title: 正体 [lit. true character, truth of a mystery]

Director(s): Fujii Michihito

Screenwriter(s): Fujii Michihito & Kodera Kazuhisa

Studio: Shochiku

Released: 2024

Runtime: 2h

Starring: Yokohama Ryusei, Yoshioka Riho, Yamada Takayuki, Morimoto Shintaro, Yamada Anna

My Verdict: Despite some implausible points, it manages to captivate. Shot and edited well with solid performances.

● Based on the novel of the same name Somei Tamehito first published in 2020, this in essence a non-action version of The Fugitive. I have not read the novel so this review is purely of the series.

● Kaburagi Keiichi (Yokohama Ryusei) was convicted of a brutal triple-murder at 18 years of age when he was still a high school student. The opening is his escape from an ambulance after faking injury. If one can accept the hardly plausible escape, the plot follows Kaburagi as he takes on certain disguises to survive and, over time, works on proving his innocence.

● For example, his first stop (or at least the first stop in the narrative) is Osaka where he works as a construction worker. Later, he is in Tokyo as a freelance writer for Ando Sayaka (Yoshioka Riho).

● Over time, the audience gets to know Kaburagi, mostly through the viewpoints of people around him. It seems he is a kindhearted person with a sense of justice. Whilst that is significant in principle, it comes across as a weak reason to sympathize with the character since for much of the film that is the only reason for thinking he might be innocent.

● Kaburagi being able to escape detection for any significant period given the amount of cameras around, including phones, is not easy to accept. That being the case, the plot and Yokohama’s performance are mostly enough to sell it.

● In addition, despite Yokohama’s general handsomeness, his performance and makeup mostly sell that he is ordinary enough to blend in.

● The pacing is unhurried without being slow, staying with Kaburagi as he navigates being alone or actually getting closer to someone. There is the expected tension of how this other person will react and the constant threat of being caught. The tension and suspense are handled well; there is always some but it is never overdone.

● It is shot and edited very well. There are, for example, quite a few mildly arty wide shots to set the mood and longer cuts during some of the action. These are nicely dispersed throughout with more conventional shots so it never comes across as pretentious.

● One of the main themes is obviously the flawed justice system that prioritizes convictions over the truth. Detective Matanuki Seigo (Yamada Takayuki) leads the hunt and is the face of the police. Yamada delivers a solid performance, deliberately wooden with just enough of a hint of the conflict underneath. Ultimately, he is under pressure from insensitive superiors.

● As a film, despite the moderately dark tone, it is not surprising that it has a positive ending. The difficulty is getting that balance between the positive and negative. It is appreciated that the film never shies away from the flaws of the justice system—it’s outright in-your-face—and to finish on a positive note is not in itself a bad thing but that it is also a little rushed makes it feel a little convenient.

● Overall, despite some implausible points, it still manages to captivate and hold one’s attention.