Alicia Vikander as Lucy Fly is a determined young woman who has moved to Japan to start a new life in the early 80’s where she is being investigated for a disappearance of an young girl Lily Bridges. Lucy is reluctant and constantly anxious about the people she let in her life. Her demureness and elegance catch the eyes of a photographer Teiji who invites her to dine with her. They exchange a repartee, assuring the honesty to speak their minds and find themselves in an interesting territory of companionship. Alicia delivers a brilliant depiction of Lucy’s unhinged mind whenever she feels that she is in peril due to an external entity. She gives a firm performance as a mysterious woman who tries to curb the bitterness in her past. Riley Keough as Lily Bridges is an young upstart in a new country who leans on Lucy to get an initial grip in the new place. Lucy is candid to Lily’s forthcoming outlook and finds herself unreserved as well as guarded around her. Lucy feels threatened by Lily as the latter seems to infringe Lucy’s relationship with Teiji. This disoriented love triangle drama allows space for a thrilling plot until the very end.
Earthquake Bird aspires to be a soul-stirring mystery drama but lacks the elements to be a riveting story. Lucy’s haunting melancholia keeps her dejected through out the film but it barely moves the audience. It lacks moments to mourn along with Lucy. The story is not generously suffused enough with mysterious elements. The actors Alicia and Riley are merely exploited in this mediocre movie that offers only a little to let you sit through. Japan’s beauty is scarcely captured. It is limited to the noodle shop, coffee shop and Karaoke Bar. Even a weekend get away to watch a cliff couldn’t be relished entirely. It’s said in the film that the earthquake bird sings after every earthquake in the city. And when one wants to draw a comparison between Lucy’s life and this bird, Just like the city, Lucy, too, has encountered many “quakes” in her life. It eventually led her to lead a life in a new country and to cut off any remaining tether with her family. She keeps trying to find a grip to the land, by letting new people in her life, even when she finds herself shook by the horrible events in her life. Lucy still tries to sing even when the pattern follows. She fights her guilt and reconciles with herself by embracing the truth. Director Wash Westmoreland’s, this better-than-a-mediocre film is worth a watch.
