MovieChat Forums > Unbroken (2014) Discussion > Mutsuhiro Watanabe crying -- finally sho...

Mutsuhiro Watanabe crying -- finally showed he was human & empathetic?

posted 8 years ago by looker7
4 replies | jump to latest

Forgive me if the scene featuring Watanabe crying during the finale (i.e., the now infamous and legendary wooden plank scene) has been discussed at length previously on the boards, but I only watched this film for the very first time just last night.

Anyway, I found said scene particularly poignant and powerful -- it was, for me, the one scene that really stood out from the rest -- in spite of him being an odious monster. How did you guys interpret the scene? Do you think it showed that, despite all of the barbarous and outright evil things he subjected the prisoners of war to, he did have a human side buried deep in his psyche capable of compassion and empathy? Or do you think the scene represents his own personal respect towards Louis? Was he, in fact, crying? (I detected that Watanabe was holding back tears when he was shouting, "Don't look at me!")

Anyone?

[–] TerraFirma69 8 years ago

As far as the way the movie portrayed it, I took it as him being upset and angry that he'd been 'defeated' in not breaking Louie's spirit.

...then whoa, differences...

[–] looker7 8 years ago

by TerraFirma69 » 1 day ago (Sun Dec 11 2016 21:32:24)
IMDb member since May 2011
As far as the way the movie portrayed it, I took it as him being upset and angry that he'd been 'defeated' in not breaking Louie's spirit.

Yeah, this is the obvious inference given his actions throughout the movie, but perhaps the screenwriters and director made the scene ambiguous. Like I said in my original post, I sensed a feeling of empathy emanating from Watanabe in spite of the abominable acts he perpetrated, but this is probably owed to the fact that I myself am quite an empathetic individual generally.

[–] TerraFirma69 8 years ago

I didn't hate the movie (I've watched it twice) but I was disappointed by it and I can't credit it with that kind of subtlety I'm afraid.

...then whoa, differences...

[–] vicky_lc2001 (1907) 7 years ago

I don't think so. I think the crying reflected his frustration in not breaking or defeating Lou who he was envious of. Lou represented everything he wasn't and could never be, all bullies bully because they are insecure and the bird was a very insecure man especially when faced by Lou.