'Evil Does Not Exist' is surreal, disturbing and requires patience. It's also well worth it

Patience is a virtue.

Subtlety, too. And filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi knows it — demands it, even. His latest film, “Evil Does Not Exist,” asks the audience to immerse itself in the day-to-day, mundane tasks and chores of villagers, some shot in real time, all of which are slowly building the story until he smacks you in the face with a genuinely bewildering conclusion.

You can paste the “not for everyone” sticker right here up top. You can’t complain that nothing happens in the movie, but it’s not inaccurate to say that not much happens for a while. Or so it seems. The film is not the equal of Hamaguchi’s masterpiece, “Drive My Car.” But it is a smart and ultimately moving study of the world and our place in it, and how fragile that balance can be.

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What is the plot of 'Evil Does Not Exist?'

Hamaguchi begins the film with a lengthy shot looking skyward through wintry trees on a bright day as Eiko Ishibashi’s score propels us along. We’re seeing the world from the perspective of Hana (Ryô Nishikawa), a little girl, going through the woods in a rural village outside Tokyo. Then we see her father Takumi (Hitoshi Omika), chopping wood — again for a long time.

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Another time Takumi is filling jugs with spring water; a friend arrives to help and Takumi realizes that he’s late picking up Hana from school. This is evidently a common occurrence. When Takumi arrives, the teacher cheerfully tells Takumi that Hana assumed he would be late, so she walked home. Next they’re walking through the woods together, with him explaining the intricacies of the forest to her. They’re clearly close. We see photos of Hana with her mother, who is not present.

When friends arrive for dinner they discuss the town meeting scheduled the next day. A Tokyo company wants to build a “glamping” site — glamorous camping. In reality it’s just a quick-and-easy way to score COVID-19 subsidies from the government.

Mayuzumi (Ayaka Shibutani) and Takahashi (Ryuji Kosaka) work for a talent agency sent to sell the project to the villagers. And they’re not buying. For one thing, the proposed septic tank isn’t large enough to handle all of the waste, which will flow into the spring water, which one woman uses in her udon shop. Outrage increases incrementally. It’s also obvious that the company is skimping on staffing. Who will ensure campers — sorry, glampers — don’t build fires, a clear danger to the village? It’s a long scene; if you’ve ever been to a contentious city hall meeting you’ll recognize the vibe. It’s most satisfying to watch the representatives’ airy confidence melt away.

Mayuzumi is taken aback and apologizes and promises more information. Takahashi is slicker, though somewhat cowed. Back in Tokyo their clueless boss assures them that the meeting was not the disaster they think it was. In fact it was a success, because it shows the government they held a meeting, and it gave the villagers a chance to vent. How about they offer the caretaker job to Takumi?

Hamaguchi's film gets increasingly weird

So Mayuzumi and Takahashi head back to the village, offering Takumi a bottle of booze (he doesn’t drink) and a job (it might as well be booze). But something happens while they’re there. Takahashi tries his hand at chopping wood and, once Takumi instructs him in the proper technique, he is delighted at his absurd little display of manliness.

Mayuzumi, meanwhile, wonders if deer attack people. No, Takumi assures, unless they’re wounded, or their children are. Takahashi wants to spend the night; he’s so inspired maybe HE wants the caretaker job. Mayuzumi decides to stay, as well.

Then events take a turn, and it becomes increasingly difficult to discern just how literally — in a film that is up to this point nothing but literal — we are supposed to take what we see. It’s not exactly a build-your-own adventure situation; what happens is obvious enough. But why? Hamaguchi leaves us where we started, only now the sky we’re peering up at through the trees is dark and more menacing.

There are wide swings in story and temperament here, yet you never feel like Hamaguchi is letting the story get away from him. Everything is precise and controlled, including the performances. (Stunningly, Omika, so genuine as a loving father, has never acted before; he’s worked on film crews.)

If you stick with it, “Evil Does Not Exist” offers rich rewards, as well as lessons, no matter how inscrutable at times. “What you do upstream will end up affecting those living downstream,” a village chief says at the earlier presentation.

And what is that if not life in a nutshell?

In Japanese with subtitles.

'Evil Does Not Exist' 4 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi.

Cast: Hitoshi Omika, Ryô Nishikawa, Ayaka Shibutani.

Rating: Not rated.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, May 10.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.

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