Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s latest film, which examines the dark side of e-commerce, is the director’s best in over two decades.
We’ve all had that struggle of trying to get something we want, but at a cheaper price. So, what do we do from time to time? We explore any means possible to find what we want at a lower cost. I’m guilty of this, as is almost everyone else reading this. Sometimes, it works out. Sometimes, however, it does not. I’ve been burned before, and I’m sure most others have been as well after receiving an item that is not exactly what was described to them (i.e., counterfeit or not the intended product). We experience a range of emotions when we make that initial purchase and get something cheaper online. From the search to the purchase where we enjoy an initial sense of satisfaction, tothe result where we’re either satisfied or frustrated, with the latter result leaving us to wonder whether we should have just paid for full price in the first place. Cloud takes us into the world of what it’s like to be on the other side of the screen—the online reseller. And it makes for a thought-provoking psychological thriller that examines the consequences one might feel if they have burned the customers they have tried taking advantage of.
Yoshii (Masaki Suda) plays a factory worker who resells goods online at cheaper prices. However, these goods are not always up to par with what the items the customers think they are paying for—and sometimes he takes advantage of people of who are trying to get rid of goods by offering to pay them a fraction of the original price. When Yoshii gets good enough at reselling items online, he quits his day job and begins to focus solely on reselling goods for living. However, as his wealth seemingly grows, so too does the list of enemies he creates with his unscrupulous business practices.
Cloud might be a thriller, but it also could be described as a tale of two different halves. While the first half plays out slowly, building up its main character’s rise and reputation, the second half turns chaotic and so unpredictable. Even in the film’s final scenes, I had no idea how things would end. To me, this makes for a thrilling guessing game of wondering how the film will stick its landing by the time the credits roll. In addition to all this, it makes for a relevant film that showcases the people after the main character, which goes to show us how you never know how people on the Internet would react in the real world if you upset them even in the slightest bit. Credit to filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Pulse, Cure), whose look into this terrifying, almost-true reality reminds us that he hasn’t lost his touch—even if this film certainly doesn’t feel like the majority of his previous work.
Cloud cycles through a number of issues our society faces today, more so than any seemingly imminent US remake that is sure to turn up at some point: scamming, betrayal, delusions, and paranoia, are just a few that come to mind. Regardless, whether it’s thinking twice about finding that item at a cheaper price or making a digital comment to someone who set them off, this film will make you think twice about what you face outside the screen you’re in front of when viewing Cloud, which is more than I can say about most films I’ve seen so far this year. And that means something—especially in these days of watching costs rise on virtually everything we purchase. And it makes me more determined to always be respectful of others in the digital space.