WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
What is true, what is false? What is attainable, what is deemed impossible? Do we not ask these questions countless times, a constant, sometimes borderline tumultuous, state of being where being settled in our choices and content in our standing in life cannot be reconciled. But, when then finding ourselves consumed with either wanting more or seeing something we desire and pursuing it, could it suddenly become a question of actual vs. fictitious? One college student (Karim Vilorosa) is seeing the girl (Ruko) of his dreams. Yet, the more he chases her, he suddenly becomes someone else, an Asian man (Kento Matsunami). Soon, it is no longer apparent what is dream and what is fact.
Next, my Mind:
Matters of perception, reality vs. fantasy, and the potency of dream states we can find ourselves caught within all come strongly, effectively, and affectingly into play through this 23-minute indie short film from writer/director/producer/editor Yuichi Iwanaga and producer Miku Kitagawa which screened at the 2020 Berlin Revolution Film Festival. It’s a very creative approach to the whole concept of “what’s real, what’s not” in showcasing a narrative that finds one man’s actuality bent out of shape and reconstituted into another that’s equally enigmatic as he pursues a beautifully mysterious girl he’s enamored with.
However, what then takes it to another level is not only is his persona transformed into a man of totally different ethnicity when in the dream state, but then he starts becoming aware that it’s questionable as to exactly what state of being he does actually reside in, with the lines between these two primary realms of existence he finds himself bouncing back and forth between becomes even more and more blurred and confounding. It reminds this critic on certain levels of one of my all-time favorite films, “Inception”, through its magnificently executed and intentionally perplexing picture of an ever-warping reality the character experiences.
The real kicker, though, comes through the film’s finely-crafted finale that REALLY puts a kibosh on whatever possible comprehension you might have tried to create at that point from all that has occurred, because it then hits you with yet another potential reveal that personally I never saw coming and, at least how I interpreted it, puts a whole new twist on the entire sequence of events we’d taken in and what it means for the characters involved. I also loved the fact that even though the story is ultimately about the pursuit of love and cherishing time with one whom who’ve gained, it doesn’t shy away from showing that not all aspects of this journey for our primary character is wine and roses.
Vilorosa provides a fine performance in his role as the college student who finds himself in pursuit of an inexplicable dream and the beautiful woman that inhabit it that he feels is one he must pursue. Yet even as his dreams turn him into, literally, another man who becomes the vehicle of said chase, it soon isn’t clear exactly who is the real persons involved and who are the dreams, and Vilorosa for his part does a perfect job of illustrating the character’s confusion and desperation for answers. Matsunami likewise delivers an emotive performance in his role as the “dream” man whom the student becomes in his sleep, doggedly chasing the elusive woman, but then becoming the main interactor with her, a fullness of relationship and connection that ends up causing him to question what he’s experiencing and who is real as well. Matsunami’s presents an emotionally raw and deeply nuanced performance to embody the character’s changing cognizance and growing uncertainty.
Ruko is stunningly beautiful and perfectly apropos for her role as the object of one man’s desire and relentless pursuit, the sometimes haunting, other times completely down to earth girl who occupies his dreams. She is both unadulterated fantasy yet sometimes a sobering nightmare that wakes him up, or so we think, from his stupor. When engaged with the man’s Asian counterpart, she’s the fun-loving, free-spirited, wonderfully attractive girl he’s always wanted and they enjoy this dynamic fully, or at least until once again, what is actual and what is false begins to come into play. It’s a believable and touching performance that leaves an impression.
Additional turns come from Sooyoung Jung, Dylan Nadalin, Bobby Greeson, and Tama Kageyama as well, all turning in solid performances in the appearances they make during their briefer parts to play in the tale. So, in total, presenting its dramatic fantasy elements in full force and well-written, well-acted narrative leading the way, “Boy’s Surface” is a creative indie project that could certainly yield feature film level material should further exploration into the story’s dynamic world warrant it. It also might serve as a reminder to us to not be afraid to chase dreams, but just make sure you hang on to only what’s real, and not just an illusion of what you truly want.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
