Review: Kumiko The Treasure Hunter

Kumiko The Treasure Hunter lives in a fuzzy, hard to pin down world much like the third generation VHS copy of Fargo that launches the adventure of the title character. Just as that video tape and the original Coen brothers film blurred reality, so does this beautiful tale about faith and delusion. In a nutshell, the film is ambient and mesmerizing for those with the patience for its unusual pace and plot.

Rinko Kikuchi, Kumiko, gives an enigmatic performance that rewards attention. Very little information is given about her. Kumiko has decided that it is her destiny to find the fictional treasure buried in Fargo and that once she does she will find true happiness. We follow her lonely odyssey from Tokyo, Japan to Minneapolis, Minnesota in the same tunnel vision that she’s suffering from.

Director Zellner finds compositions that play artistically while the film utilizes very little dialogue. Due to this approach, most of the heavy lifting falls on Kikuchi. She excels in what may be here finest performance to day. Her face reveals a myriad of sadness and hope, desperation and faith. It’s a minimalist performance that masks an enormity of loneliness.

The score done by The Octopus Project has to be mentioned. It acts as a consistent guide for the journey, mirroring Kumiko's internal state. The music so often acts a a window into her emotions. Its a triumph for film scores and one I won't forget soon.

Kumiko The Treasure Hunter is likely to be overly long and too weird for some. For many however, I suspect it will be a film that burrows into their memory and lives on.

4/5