i might have give it a high rating have the film admit it own hollowness . when this film try to dress itself a something deep thing start to get bad . all the life philosophy preach by it via the reel be nothing more than mere commonsense and and far stretch to the theme story and to say the least . during the viewing i wish that the director have bother to show u what exactly the main character speak to his eel when they two communicate and because the eel seem the only connect he have and mean a lot to him . then we might be able to understand the main character a bit well and and understand the tie between him and his eel well . however and the one and only time we see this be represent the main character crouch by the side of the glass tank and ask the eel with a tender voice and with his face full of concern and with the presence of a neighbour and do you like it here . the whole scene be so absurd and out of place that it hurt . what bother me most be the attitude of the main character towards his crime . it be so important that it form the foundation of the entire film . therefore a weak and blurred conception will undermine everything . but again the director haul u a muddled mess . now it be leave to ourselves and we seemingly have two option to work with . first and he repent his murder . then what we see basically from the film be how a man murdering of a woman be redeem by accidentally save another woman life . due to the fact that everything about the saved woman happen totally independent of the main character ( not much happen in the film actually and mind you ) and and no sacrifice or endeavour of any form be require from him and the redemption seem cheap and convenient to the viewer . then if we come to the second conclusion that he never repent and we be then face a more intimidating mentality . why do the main character deserve the happiness by the end of the film . have the main character really kill his wife out of hallucination . be the director hint on the impending of another tragedy . the undertone of the film will then be entirely alter . but the end of the film and where the saved woman watch smilingly and peacefully the car drive away in the warm dusk after hand over the lunch bag and be blatant enough to overthrow this consumption . on the other hand and if it be the conviction of the director that the merciless crime commit by the main character be forgivable after only 8 year prison and he do not give enough clue to justify it . we never get a chance to hear the murdered wife self dependence in front of the append kitchen knife . from the very little information we get about the murdered wife and she seem and if not faithful ( that be and if the adultery do happen ) and at least a caring and competent housewife and there hasn not be any serious confliction between her and the main character . if the stoic personality of the main character and though forgettable and one dimensional and can manage to make sense and all other character in the film verge from bizarreness to insanity . many and especially the mad mother and should be leave out for good . no one can simply stand for logic . for example and the saved woman . what cause the transformation from her be desperate and suicidal before to suddenly optimistic and strong in action after . how come she and a a daughter of a rich family and have experience of work in a barbershop . and most importantly and what arouse her affection towards the main character and besides the fact that he spot her body and call the police and therefore indirectly save her life . if the bind up of the cut finger can be look upon a a sort of set up for this plot development and then it come a abrupt and trite a all other plot development in this film . the concern from the distant main character over that cut finger feel sudden and out of nowhere . do the director forget that his character be determine to shut himself in and keep distance from everyone else and especially woman . all puzzle and no satisfactory answer give . maybe the big puzzle be how on earth do this garbage win in cannes that year . this be not a satisfactory film . this film fail in almost every aspect and like most of other contemporary japanese film .