Introductie
Released in 2021, Ride or Die is a psychological movie drama that was directed by Ryuichi Hiroki and written by Nami Sakkawa. The film is based off of the Gunjo manga by Ching Nakamura. The movie is unique in that it explores the emotionally and psychologically intricate union of two women, Rei and Nanae, after years of being separated.
Even though the film explores complex subjects, it does so without resorting to melodrama. It delves deeply into love, personal identity, sacrifice, and the weight each character carries. The story, in a way, centers on self-preservation and the unconditional love that one has to reclaim and accept despite it being challenging. The narrative is also enhanced by reflective backdrops and inner monologues.
Hoofdpersoon
Rei Nagasawa is a successful and self-assured plastic surgeon known for leading a structured lifestyle. However, it is revealed that she is deeply in love with her former classmate Nanae, underlying the primary source of loyalty and emotional turmoil that Rei goes through, which ultimately drives the central conflict of the film.
Nanae, much like Rei during their days in school, is now in a strained, filled with emotional suffering marriage. She is perplexed, divided, and unable to psychologically comprehend moving on. Even when people genuinely care and want to help, that kind of help is nowhere to be found.
The two women bear the emotional anchor of the narrative. The rich tapestry of unspoken sentiments, divergent ideologies, and a shared past create the emotional scaffolding upon which the story is constructed.
Summary of the story
The story commences with Rei who, despite portraying an appearance of calm, centered around a busy medical career, is faced with more than a touch of domestic, personal, emotional turmoil in stark contrast to the orderly life she is leading. Even after years of absence, Rei is still deeply in love with Nanae. One of the days, Nanae’s complex personal issues come to light, and Rei’s profound understanding and concern motivate her to reach out.
As with most things in life, their ‘coming together’ is problematic. Due to her painful emotional state, Nanae is on the more negative and guarded side, while Rei, out of the warmth of the moment and seeking to reconcile her latent emotional sentiments, extends her help. She attempts to ‘pull’ Nanae out of the ‘present’ to a more positive ‘new life’.
The exploration that follows this excerpt is an exploration of the emotional consequences of that decision. The two women spend time side by side, at times in deep silence, at times in candid dialogue about the past as well as the present. With each interaction, they travel, contemplate, and wrestle with the shared past and the indeterminate future. There are dissimilarities in the ways in which each of them endures pain.
Nanae on the other hand is completely lost with feelings of guilt and embarrassment. The loyalty that Rei offers is something that Nanae does not know how to respond to,. Rei, they will argue is more powerful, confident, honest and direct. All of which, have qualities that are weak when it comes to Nanae. With Rei, the desire to give nurture and support is present, but so is the understanding that is unidirectional in the affection realm.
The transformation of the second woman is internal. Both women are able to progress and grow on themselves and the other. No question is left unanswered, and every statement is acknowledged. Growth, honesty, with self and each other is evident. It is the journey that is most important and it is the journey that both women have shared, not together, which closes the film. All the feelings that they have are complex but together they are able to overcome them all.
Main Concepts
Emotional Loyalty and Unspoken Bonds
As alluded to in the title, the focus of this film is on loyalty. It is the type that endures over the years and thrives despite the passage of time and change in circumstance. It is the kind of emotional loyalty that Rei shows Nanae which is devoid of any ties of obligation. The film illustrates the uplifting and burdensome duality of such loyalty.
Identity and Rediscovery
Each Rei and Nanae are on separate but intertwined journeys of rediscovery. Rei is faced with the more complex challenge of having to come to terms with her feelings and whether her caring is in fact what Nanae wants and needs. Nanae, on the other hand, needs to muster the courage to make her own choices which are her own and not conforming to dictated expectations.
Emotional Healing and Trust
The story highlights how frustrating it is to try and heal when the emotional wounds still feel raw. Both Rei and Nanae are emotionally scarred with pain from the past. They, from the context of conversations and silence, begin to heal, and the injury slowly starts to dissipate. The film illustrates the importance of time, honesty, and the willingness to be with discomfort as a tool to heal.
- The intricacy of human interconnections.
This piece of work does not portray love or friendship in an idealistic way. It depicts bonds as being intricate and at times, paradoxical, where there is appreciation, love, fear, and doubt. The way Rei and Nanae interact with each other provides an insight to the changes and the understanding required during the shifting of bonds.
- The act of making a decision and autonomy.
Nanae’s tale is reflective of someone who is trying to get her lost ability to act independently. People who want to help her, in contrary to her self, need to help her make the decision. The film shifts toward her narrative and emphasizes her development as she starts making decisions, which are in her best interest.
Cinematic style and tone
The film Ride or Die is soft and dreamy in appearance. It captures reflections of the film in its color palettes with the rest of the atmosphere relying on subdued tones, hushed atmospheres, and soft lighting. The viewer is able to appreciate the stillness and the silence that is present during the emotional voyage through the aid of extended shots and more relaxed rhythms.
The structure of the film relies mostly on dialogue and the lighter parts of the narrative. The film gives preference to the state as opposed to the actions. It consists of sparsely populated locations, where two people share a room, a vehicle, or are lost in their thoughts and feelings that, at times, are difficult to express, without any form of communication.
The composition of the music is sparse and serves to underline mood rather than to steer it. The overall tone is unpretentious but still graceful, centering more on the delicate than the grandiose.
While Kiko Mizuhara (as Rei) and Honami Sato (as Nanae) give sincere, even tender performances, it is Kiko who imbues Rei with both power and quiet fragility, while Honami, with remarkable finesse, dramatizes the emotional reticence of Nanae. Their chemistry is believable, and their exchanges are emotionally loaded.
Neither character is shown to be flawless. The struggles within them and their imperfections make them believable. Their bond is strongest in their weaknesses.
Ride or Die is a still film with deep emotional currents, and a powerful exploration of love and loyalty, that sheds light on emotional evolution. There are no grand proclamations, nor easy answers, but rather an invitation to linger on the discomfort of ambiguity, the healing which lies in unfiltered connection and the beauty in discomfort.
This is a film that speaks to the love of character driven stories, emotional nuance, and subtlety over show. At its most poignant, Ride or Die offers the notion that the most important journeys are not about distance—but rather the courage to articulate, bear witness to, and to be witnessed yourself..
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