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Overall Rating: 7/10

Overall Thoughts: This series started out slow but damn it got so juicy from around the 14/15 episode mark onwards! This was such a great series! Definitely not the best but I'd say maybe... top 3? Definitely top 5 out of all the KRs I've seen <3 Just DAMNIT CHASE! If you need ONE reason to watch this series. Just Chase's ass man... It got it ALL going on! It ended up being a 'how many crotch shots will we get this episode' type of game cos they dang pants *nosebleed* I am happy (minus one part) how it ended for the most part and I think the entire story as a whole was great and ended well so I am a satisfied girl minus y'know... WRITER RAGE!!!

Are you ready for Tbscreenrider's most anticipated review of the year?! xD

First as usual my play-by-play:

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Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
Overall Thoughts:

My original rating was 8/10 but after 24+ hours time to think, I have knocked it down to a 7/10 and I think my reasons justify why...
In my honest opinion, the film focuses too much on the stuff I don't wanna know about. The actual plot of the story is unfortunately the only other genre of Japanese movie/tv (besides high school bullying) that I'm sick of watching (haha see that pun?!) and try not to watch anymore cos it just fucking rips you apart and I'm sick of just watching it happen over and over again.
Another reason why it's down to a 7 is that I feel, once again, I wasn't shown much of Nijiro's acting. He had a short moment (once again) towards the end where he got a chance to really show off his skill as an actor and once again, the scene was too short and I feel he wasn't given enough room to show off and grow. Don't get me wrong, the scene was fantastic but I wanted to see more of his range.
Another reason is that, I wasn't moved by this film. Even though the film kept me interested the entire time, I wasn't emotional nor did I feel anything towards to characters except for Nijiro's character and his father and Kyoko's father.
I also feel like there was no message to it. Normally with a slow film like this, the message of the film hits you as soon as the movie's finished cos right at the end the big picture comes into view and you realise what the director's message is but here, unfortuantely, I don't feel that happened at all. I don't understand what the point of this film was nor what message the director and writers wanted to project to it's audience.
I also feel like one of the last scenes of the film really cheapened and ruined the film. It just wasn't needed in my opinion. It could've been completely removed and would've been a much better ending. Feels like it was only added in to create a shock factor.

The plus sides are the setting and the cinematopgraphy! I feel the director and I are very similar in our filming style in terms of nature and such and once again, I was happy with acting from Nijiro but I wanted more. The last major thing I don't get: Why is it translted into 'Still the Water'?! The title actually translated to 'The Second Window' and I think that name matches the film better. This is definitely a film I want to own on DVD some day purely because of the positives and how beautifully filmed it is.

PS. If you haven't already, I suggest you check out Nijiro's instagram. It's fucking gorgeous and makes you like him even more!!