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Cold Fish
冷たい熱帯魚
2011 146 min Japan 18+
★7.1
Drama, Thriller, Crime, Horror
Director: Sion Sono
Trailers
Description
When fish shop owner Shamoto's teenage daughter Mitsuko is caught stealing, a generous middle-aged man named Murata helps resolve the situation. The man and his wife offer to have Mitsuko work at their opposing fish store. Shamoto soon discovers that something far more sinister lives behind Murata's friendly demeanor.
Starring
Mitsuru Fukikoshi
Actor
Denden
Actor
Asuka Kurosawa
Actor
Awards
5 wins & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
Cold Fish is a brutal, visceral exploration of human depravity and the fragility of the moral psyche under extreme pressure. While its unflinching violence and grim subject matter may alienate some viewers, it is widely praised for its powerful performances and Sion Sono's bold, uncompromising direction.
| Acting | Mitsuru Fukikoshi delivers a compelling performance that effectively captures the protagonist's descent from a passive, repressed father into a violent anti-hero. | |
| Direction | Sion Sono's direction masterfully exposes moral paradoxes and the allure of evil without resorting to easy moralizing. | |
| Cinematography | Sinya Kimura’s cinematography creates an unforgettable, harsh visual style that seamlessly blends deep shadows with disturbing, deviant imagery. | |
| Theme | The film's relentless focus on gore and repulsion creates a deeply polarizing experience, where some find intellectual weight in its madness while others find it devoid of aesthetic nourishment. |