Plan 75 (2022) [Film Review]

Plan 75; or, The Death of Society
     It’s something I should think about doing for my grandchildren.
Plan 75 is one of those films that I really wanted to watch as soon as the official trailer dropped online. However, I was afraid that I won’t have the ability to do so because Chie Hayakawa’s movie is kind of a low-profile production that started to slowly gain traction through film festivals. Thankfully, I watched Plan 75 on the big screen in my own country because a local distributor picked up the rights for the film.

Release Info

Directed by: Chie Hayakawa Starring: Chieko Baisho, Hayato Isomura, Stefanie Arianne

Language: Japanese Original Title: PLAN 75 Runtime: 113 min

Synopsis
In view of the surplus of the elderly population, which has a negative influence on the economy of Japan, the government implemented a special bill called “Plan 75”. It enables voluntary suicide for citizens aged 75 and over. We follow the development of the plan through the perspectives of three people: Mishi Kakutani (Chieko Baisho), an elderly hotel worker who loses her job; Himoru Okabe (Hayato Isomura), an administrative worker who promotes the plan; and Maria (Stefanie Arianne), a staff member at a facility where the suicides are carried out.

The Gift of Life
Well, if you suffer from Thanatophobia or you can’t stand the topic of death, then Plan 75 is not a movie for you. This is not to say, however, that the movie is some kind of a dark thriller or horror. On the contrary, the power of Plan 75 stems from a mundane approach to the subject matter. It is not an apocalypse, not a war against humanity. The Japanese society accepts the outrageous political plan because herd mentality always wins against individual thinking. In fact, the individual has to conform and sacrifice himself or herself for the good of the group.

The more I think about the film, the more I find it disturbing. Chie Hayakawa insightfully examines the aforementioned dilemma through the main characters of the unfolding drama. The director shows that not only the elderly citizens are the victims of the situation, but also the younger generations who are taught fake empathy when interacting with prospective participants of Plan 75.

With regard to performances, allow me to say that being able to see the legendary Cheiko Baisho on the big screen, in a near-empty theatre room, was a profound experience for me. She really carried the film with her performance and I can’t imagine any other classic Japanese actress in the role of a woman who does not give up on hope. Hayato Isomura and Stefanie Arianne really shine in the supporting roles and the subplots of their characters really complement the main message of the film. Yuumi Kawai also appears as Yoko, a phone guide of Baisho’s character, but her screen time is limited to barely two scenes.

Recommendations
If you have the ability to watch the film legally where you live, then I encourage you to check out Plan 75. It was distributed in Poland by Aurora Films. I sincerely hope that the film will also receive a release on physical media outside of Japan.Overall score: 8/10

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