i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I am a big admirer of Japanese cinema, film makers like Kurusawa, Koreeda, Oshima Imamura and the list goes on. And also from time to time I enjoy slow cinema, but in the case of Naomi Kawase Still The Water and her other previous film "Mourning Forest" for witch reasons i don't understand why the jury awarded it the grand prize there were far better films competing that year like Russia's entry and brilliant The Banishment. Still the water had an interesting concept for a great story and its tropical location and beautiful cinematography, still the screenplay falls flat the characters seem to sleepwalk through the whole film. I truly believe Naomi makes film for her and friends and she is unaware that audiences outside her realm are falling asleep to her films. i give this film a D.

This film is about life and death and love, about existence itself. It talks to us from a far away island surrounded by the Ocean. Of course if you want to perceive such things you must open your mind, listen very carefully and most important you must take your time. Because the film goes slowly, with a pace we are not used to and that you could hate in the beginning or that could make you fall asleep.Since most things pass through your eyes the director has to show you what you must see: trees, faces, waves… and the camera lingers on these things the time needed to make sure that your feelings are correctly oriented and you are ready to understand.I'm not sure that everybody is going to like it. Me? Personally I loved it (after a while). And in the end I thought that the Author was correct about everything... for example: aren't kisses the hallmark of love?

What a pleasure! Seldom does a film touch on so many important questions, THE important questions I would say, with so much taste and grace and easiness. Seen through the eyes of two 16 year old teenagers we get to know two families, both in trouble, one dying parent, one split marriage and how each kid reacts to the situation. And this is reflected in the friendship and blossoming relationship between the teenagers. Questions of endless love and the believe of a life after death are raised and form the central drive of the story.The film is almost two hours long but for these questions you definitely need time to feel and tell. There is no wrong sentence or behavior in this movie, it is a quiet film with many silent moments where you have a chance to look and think. Something very rare nowadays. The overall feeling is a very positive one and you leave the film with hope and joy!

Death, love, commitment...the movie treats those question in a very human rhythm, and surprises you in its deepness. I was moved to tears.It's set in a paradisaical coast of a Japanase island, full of light and sea. The actors are impressively true and beautiful.Japanase music being played and sang was a real plus too. The few scenes happening in Tokyo were a really good reflection to appreciate better the lifestyle in that countryside.the last third of the movie was maybe a little bit slow to reveal itself, but it saved some great scenes and was matching the rest of it.It's also socially and culturally very enriching and interesting. Leaves you with true surprises about the way these kids behave towards losing someone, towards relationships, etc.