Minamata: The Pain Seized by The Camera of Eugene Smith Starring Johnny Depp

'Minamata' contains a true tale of American photojournalist W. Eugene Smith's journey to Japan, in which he brought a salient issue of the local lower class to the world. Minamata disease first came to the surface in 1956, named after a bay town of Japan. It is man-made, born out of their avarice, corruption, and pollution. The Chisso company caused all this pain by dumping chemical waste into the sea.

Minamata (2021)

Genres: Drama, History

Cast: Johnny Depp, Minami Bages

The prologue tells that Eugene's (also known as Gene Smith, played by Johnny Depp) life is not a utopia. He is broke, reckless, and has sold all equipment to seed his children's dreams. Eugene works for the prestigious Life magazine as he is good at capturing the essence of any given moment.

Aileen (Minami Bages) plays a vital role in the movement of Minamata. She is the one who brought Eugene to Japan. She meets Eugene under the pretext of advertising and informs him about the situation of Minamata bay, later both fly to Japan.

Eugene's behaviour initially seemed whimsical, but his perspective changed after meeting patients with Minamata disease. The Chisso company tried to corrupt Eugene, but that didn't work, so they threatened him and eventually beat him up.

This historical incident needed to be told, and it is righteously told in the film, the way Eugene would have wanted to tell it. The bathtub scene is a perfect facsimile of Eugene's 'Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath' picture. The picture of 'Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath' caught global attention at that time.

Johnny Depp's disguise as Eugene Smith is nearly perfect. Johnny Depp and Minami's chemistry is adorable, I wanted to see more of them. Hiroyuki Sanada, Akiko Iwase, and other Japanese cast are commendable. The cinematography is picturesque. The setup of Eugene's room and the different colour tints are eye-catching.

The script could've been shortened and written more engagingly. It also doesn't include Eugene & Aileen's personal life, nor their marriage.

This film gives a very important message about the pollution problems that we are still facing today. It exposes the cruel side of big industries and their reckless behaviours toward the lower class.