When we see those pre-empting words of ‘based on a true story’ at the beginning of a film, we are usually left thinking about how much of what we see is fiction, and how much is fact. In the case of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, the latest offering from the Zellner Brothers, the protagonist is adorably naive enough to take a more all-or-nothing approach, misinterpreting found-footage of classic Coen Brothers film Fargo; so much that she is set of on a fantastical quest to uncover the suitcase full of cash which Steve Buscemi’s; character buries in the classic motion picture.
What’s more is that Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is loosely based on truth itself. Even though the Zellner Brothers had to do a lot of background research into this distorted tale, they found out that a Japanese women did indeed travel from Tokyo to Minnesota one day; her motivations are unknown. So the Zellner brothers constructed a complete character to attempt their own version of the truth. Kumiko is stuck in a mundane life, stubbornly myopic when she wants to be with a set view on how things should work, and tragically introverted; all aspects of her life which drive her to believe the ‘treasure’ is real.
The line between tragedy and comedy is tread as finely here as the line between reality and fantasy, many of the elements in this film – from the opening shot of the dreamy Japanese coastline where Kumiko finds a hidden VHS tape of Fargo, to the wondrous colour palette that the costume designers play around with, even branding Kumiko with her very own gallant blanket-cape towards the end – play into the fantastical element of it all, but it’s Rinko Kukuchi’s adept physical performance which drives the entire film.
Kikuchi portrays the socially awkward, self-indulgent dreamer to a tee, navigating her dull office-worker, ‘crazy rabbit lady’ role in an endearingly droll way; showcasing a close attention to detail in this largely physical performance. Her apartment is a mess, she constantly lies to her nagging mother, and her rabbit – Bunzo – seems to be her only friend. Her excessive need to be alone is shaped by scenes with overly enthusiastic blasts from her past trying to catch up with her only to be met with an increasingly distant, zoned out Kumiko. The Zellner brothers build Kumiko in a way that makes her leap of faith with Fargo as believable as possible (and that’s a very difficult feat!)
Kumiko does take the majority of the film to plan her journey, hilariously weaving in and out of awkward situations such as stealing a large atlas from a library and attempting to explain her quest to the guard, comparing herself to a Spanish conquistador searching for treasure. Pushing her late 20’s, this is a girl who still very much holds onto childish fantasies of a life much larger than the one she finds herself in, and as viewers we are immersed in her intriguing psychology.
When we finally get to see her travel of the Midwestern wilderness that is Minnesota the sunny side of the film vanishes and life-threatening, harsh conditions swirl around Kumiko, who is quite content in her thin, bright red overcoat. The degree of her narrow-mindedness is most apparent here, as viewers we have become so attached to Kumiko that we are actually worried for her, dreading what the icy environment will do to our. Watching her trudge closer to her goal, interacting with several well-intentioned locals along the way, is genuinely hilarious given that Kumiko has such a contrasting and stubborn personality that is only reinforced by outside help. David Zellner even guest cameos as a bemused cop who tries to persuade Kumiko that Farg is not real, hilariously taking her to a Chinese restaurant to try and get the message interpreted for her.
Our obsession with cinema and the stories behind it is given an ominous air, with the film getting at surrealism in art and showing how much it can effect the psychologically vulnerable. In this sense, the movie is a dark and disturbing fable; yet it is bright, colourful, and infinitely adorable. The character of Kumiko is so crucial to the joy this movie brings, and even though things get a bit dark and lean towards the tragic, our determined treasure hunter’s quest is one with an infectious sense of fun.
Review Score FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Running Time: 104 minutes
Kumiko, Treasure Hunter premiered as part of the 61st Sydney Film Festival
UPDATE: Kumiko, Treasure Hunter is screening as a limited release in Palace Cinemas in Australia. Full schedule can be found HERE
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