A twisted form of love played out while struggling.
This film is of course a coming-of-age road movie, but it also made me think deeply about "love" after I finished watching it. The main character, Daiki, does a lot of bad things and is of course a perpetrator, but he is also a victim who was abandoned by his mother right after birth and grew up not knowing love. I thought that if only the vector of his love could be changed, he might actually be a very kind child. Did you have any role references in playing such a difficult role?
I started by confronting Daiki as a character. I thought it was important to know what he really wanted to do, so I imagined things from his childhood that were not depicted in the script, and added to the story by saying things like, "I was happy about that incident," or "I could not forgive that from the bottom of my heart. I also studied the visual aspects of the story by watching videos of young men who were delinquents or drug addicts, and thinking about how they would vocalize and get angry.
Do you feel that there were any changes from what you had envisioned for Daiki once filming actually started?
I got used to it, or rather, I clearly felt myself and Daiki becoming one. Toward the end, I didn't find it hard to hit him, and the way I walked naturally became more hunched over.
You had a sense that you were going to be able to enter into the world of big brightness.
Yes, it was. It was a very valuable experience.
I was very impressed by the way Mr. Toyoda played with his eyes in this piece. I was impressed by the lack of light behind her eyes when she was on drugs, and the slight glimmer of hope behind her eyes after a fight. It was hard to believe that it was her first time to act in a movie.
I am very happy because my goal this time was to perform with my eyes. There are many things that can be described with the eyes even if they cannot be understood in words. As long as that is the case, the picture will hold.
Was it difficult for you to play the role of a madman this time?
I have always had a longing for something like overwhelming strength, so in that sense, it was fun to experience it this time. However, I was still not used to acting, and I felt like I was clinging to the role every day during filming.
I'm sure you will be playing a variety of roles in the future, but it seems that your roles will have an impact on your personal life.
That may be so. I'd rather play my role to the hilt until it becomes a drag.
