i liked this movie! i wanted to watch it because out of all the kore-eda movies it seemed the most ridiculous and i thought i might not like it. but i liked it! with some reservations. this movie has issues
i really enjoyed the movie's early focus on both the idea that everybody feels empty and struggle to fit into the world, and its portrayal of the mundane beauty of the world. we get to see the world through the eyes of someone who's never perceived it before, and while its very scary, its also easy to see how beautiful it is. she meets multiple people who are able to accept her as she is, and its just like. kinda heartwarming.
but then theres like the ending of the movie?? and i think this is just a kore-eda thing. kore-eda loves to show you something, go "isnt life and the people in it beautiful? we're all just trying to live", and then he goes "anyways. what if it all went to shit." and then just like makes something awful happen to the main character. i just mostly felt confused at the entire ending?
also i just feel like. kore-eda doesnt seem interested enough in reflecting on misogyny and the abuse of women for it to really make sense for him to be directing a movie about a sex doll coming to life? it just feels like theres so much missing for this movie to really be great. it feels like kore-eda wanted to make a movie that makes you do a double-take when reading the synopsis, with no interest in like, the broader implications of the premise. all we get is like the occasional mention of an air doll's role in the world. idk. it feels like the movie sort of accidentally sometimes makes good points about misogyny, but mostly just tries to stay away. and like. i dont think this movie should be trying to stay away from talking about misogyny! i love what it has to say about loneliness, but i think that reflecting around the way women are abused in our society AND the universality of loneliness, would be so much more interesting given the premise...