Written and directed by
Kiyoshi Kurosawa Cure (known as Kyua in
Japan) is a
Japanese film released in 1997, in which a series of murders are sweeping across
Tokyo linked only by the carving of an "X" upon the body of each
victim. At each crime the
murderer, a different person each time, is found at the scene, shocked and confused, capable of recalling murdering their wife/partner/colleague but unable to reason why they did it. The film tracks seasoned
Detective Kenichi Takabe, played by
Koji Yakusho, as he attempts to solve the mystery which seems immutably linked with the
amnesiac drifter, Mamiya (
Masato Hagiwara) who turns out to have a powerful gift - the
power of suggestion.
The film is paced in a slow and deliberate style, unwittingly drawing the viewer into the depths of the film that at first glance appears a standard crime-thriller but unwinds into complex psychological and philosophically disturbing ground. The directional style creates a sense of detachment in parts through the predominating use of often visually stunning master shots. However, this intellectually comfortable atmosphere is snatched away at will by the Kurosawa as the film progresses into more personal and confrontational scenes. The film perhaps suffers from certain periods of psychobabble as Mamiya's gift is given a scientific context but one is certainly repayed for patience and for giving into the film's dark atmosphere.
Cure/Kyua asks the viewer to question the uncomfortably fine line of self-restraint we depend on within society and our even more fragile sense of self-identity as Mamiya constantly deflects questions about himself and turns them onto his interrogators, always leading to the repeated question "Who are you?", forcing his victims into considering their own identity outside of the social boxes they've tried to place themselves. These themes are echoed by the scenes with Takabe's disturbed wife which are perhaps made all the more heart-wrenching and thought provoking thanks to Kurosawa's subtle, understated style in contrast to the schmaltz we are all overfamiliar with in western cinema. The result, if one allows themself to become involved with the film, is a very unnerving experience but a rewarding one nonetheless for those who enjoy thought-provoking and (damn this word) arty films. Kurosawa explores areas of the human psyche usually reserved for directors such as David Lynch and David Cronenburg and this effort has been hailed by many critics as his "first masterpiece".
One more thing - pay very close attention to the backgoround during the final scene in the diner if you wish to make sense of the story...
To the best of my knowledge this film is unreleased on VHS or DVD format in the US or europe but is still shown in certain art house cinemas. I recommend you check http://www.cowboypictures.com/cure/schedule.html for details. Apparently there are plans to release Cure/Kyua on DVD in the US this year and as such a european release may also follow.