When it comes to the mind of director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, his landscape of filmmaking is destined to create tension. His writing carries an irreparable, yet compelling force in Cloud. In this film, risks and falsifications may look profitable on one end, but dishonesty on the other end leads to complications andchaos. There is a vast amount of damage that occurs in Cloud, and it is surreal. Vibrant and engrossing, the setting in Japan creates a landscape of uncharted territory in urban and rural areas.

The film’s main character is Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda) who sells goods online but pushes himself to the limit. He quits his day job at a factory to create his operation selling and reselling items. With encouragement from a friend named Muraoka (Masataka Kubota), the idea is promising for Ryosuke.  However, the risks posed are greater than audiences will expect because Ryosuke chooses a deserted mountain setting for his operations. He brings his girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa), and hires an assistant named Sano (Daiken Okudaira). The more fake goods Ryosuke distributes, the more he profits. But his other gain is negative, as he builds a following of those he has scammed.

The risk factors and political landscape in the film create vast tension and uncertainty. The story is a provocative portrait of the consequences of dishonesty. Because Ryosuke has dangerous people trying to track him down, the desperation to make profits becomes more critical. Kurosawa’s directing displays artistry in an environment that seems like an overwhelming trap of realistic excitement. No one can weather the consequences in a more precise way than Kurosawa does with Cloud.

Ryosuke’s operations create a pattern of rapidly flowing mental suspense. Cloud has an exhilarating pattern which remains subtle while creating visual moving parts. When business for Ryosuke continues to struggle, he then looks for different scams to pursue via the items he purchases to resell. Kurosawa is a master at portraying anxiety-provoking matters and frustrating realistic hurdles in Cloud. 

The value of profit is a life and death matter in Cloud. The context is both believable because profits lead to making bank and yet misdirected in terms of unexpected outcomes. Eventually Ryosuke finds himself hitting a breaking point and Cloud throttles with fears. The fluorescent cinematography loops in illusions tied to the film’s continually changing operations. Kurosawa knows how to make hearts beat with suspense charging throughout the movie.

Cloud is one of the most thrilling, yet experimental arthouse thrillers I have seen. The business of selling souvenirs and fake items in Japan carry the weight of suspense which leads tofilmmaking at its finest. This film is intended for the big screen experience to fully capture the realistic and unforgettable series of wrongdoings. In Chicago, this movie is meant to be seen at Siskel Film Center which will be showing it through August 7th. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience an irreparable ride that will leave a bullet train of consequences. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Cloud.