Directed by David & Nathan Zellner

How do our obsessions define us? If they, at any point, consume our thoughts, are they simply fleeting distractions or opportunities for greater purpose? Kumiko is a beautiful film which doesn’t answer this question, but displays it in full force. Is our heroine misguided, or does she have more direction than everyone else around her? What is worth fighting for, worth sacrificing, worth believing in? Are we more interested in the end result, or simply the adventure of the chase? Do we become obsessed as compensation for something missing inside of us? Fargo – and by association, Kumiko – may not be true stories after all, and they might not have anything really to say, but it’s really about being in that space – in-between the titles and the credits – in which we find the mystery, excitement, joy and tragedy that makes up the fibres of our lives.

B+