To the Ends of the Earth (2019)

The song of the goat of Uzbekistan.

It is rare that offbeat films are slowburners which gives 'To the Ends of the Earth' its own footprint. I'm glad that was in a patient mood and in a quiet space otherwise I may not have become hypnotised. Desiring to see Uzbekistan in a movie for the first time helped my motivation.

Yoko (Atsuko Maeda) is the presenter for a Japanese television show. The all-male film crew are seemingly indifferent to her as they stutter from one scene to the next, shooting meaningless footage the director thinks is important. That installs the theme of feeling disconnected.

When on set, Yoko is more a prop than a person. After hours, she continually escapes on bizarre sightseeing trips that provide insight into the country and herself. Despite repeatedly getting lost and scared, she's driven to do so again.

The metaphor's are powerful. Her misadventures express her fear of being emotionally lost and out of place in this world. But the truth is that she's afraid of herself, and had walled herself off from the joys around her. The goat she finds and wants to set free is surely herself.

It's a sad and sweet film for intelligent viewers, making it easy for me to forgive its melodramatic singing moment. For those familiar with director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's work, it's better than 'Before We Vanish' and 'Journey to the Shore', and, although different, on par with 'Tokyo Sonata'.

I fear that the title 'To the Ends of the Earth' will limit the audience reach. Oddball films for the arty crowds need something catchier like 'Song of the Goat of Uzbekistan'.