An idyllic Japanese village stokes the fire of morality as “Evil Does Not Exist” effortlessly shows the harm of systemic invasion and personal abuse. Locals are content in an undisturbed community outside the sphere of urbanized Tokyo. When concerned by the arrival of an entertainment agency known as “Playmode” and their planned camping site, the community gathers to challenge the danger of gentrification. With a perfect sleight of hand, director Ryusuke Hamaguchi shifts perspective as two company representatives are humanized as simple civilians voicing an action they detest. Through the illusion of relaxed residents encased within a tranquil forestry, the chaos of evil shows its face by flipping established moral assertions between the audience and the characters they witness. “Evil Does Not Exist” does everything but invoke its title, exposing the arbitrary character of a very human element that is as natural to society as the balance is to the structure of nature. 

*This film screened at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival