Once Upon a Crime (2023) User Reviews

You'll Either Love It or Hate It

[pathbreakingwriter · 5/10 · 16 September 2023]

It is likely that when you scroll through the reviews you will find people completely loving this movie and some completely bashing it.

I know, I know - nothing new in what I'm saying...but hold on...

When I watched this movie, I loved it for a different take on how the Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella story flows. It starts off very similar but soon it deviates from the conventional plot we all know.

Half way down the movie, this turns into a completely different story. It sort of turns into an investigative courtroom drama, which some might appreciate and some won't.

As the story progresses into the final phase and the truth is revealed it is likely that your mind might like the movie, but your heart might not.

If you like experimental movies where you are willing to see your beloved characters in a different light, you will love it.

On the other hand, if you are a purist and prefer the traditional plot, this is going to be a bad experience.

Very fun movie but surprising ending

[applesapplesoranges · 5/10 · 16 September 2023]

I watched through the majority of the movie thinking it was so fun and campy with beautiful costumes but the end made me really sad and disappointed. I can't believe they made poor Cinderella the villain of the movie. She had already suffered from being bullied and abused by her family to then accidentally killing someone out of self defense. The prince doesn't even end up with her because he already had someone. I thought this movie would have a happy ending for Cinderella and Little Red Riding hood but I was very disappointed. I think the movie was trying to show a moral of not prioritizing beauty, but Cinderella was never a bad person. Overall a fun concept, but the movie makes you root for and like a character just to throw her under the bus at the end. Some people may not mind this, but it soured the movie for me.

It started of quirky and fun but then

[A-Shekhar · 4/10 · 16 September 2023]

It started of quirky and fun but then the ending ruined it all, poor Cinderella who had been bullied her entire life who after a false promise of hope in self defense accidentally offs a dude (the framing her sister is so not Cinderella like) and then she goes to prison?? Poor frickin Cinderella, can she not catch a break.... and here I was looking at the ratings thinking, arghhh today's audience are so hard to please, I mean in the beginning it wasn't amazing but it was ok fun and then bammm, Cinderella you poor thing, go to prison... do no harm your whole life, only misfortunes after misfortunes for you and still no light at the end of the tunnel for you, it's better to be evil then good according to this movie.... jeeezzzzzuuuss!!!

Character Developer

[altumstar · 2/10 · 27 September 2023]

Poor Cinderella. I always felt that the story of the Grim Brothers was good. But seeing Cinderella finally go to prison and the prince finds another woman, makes me feel like something is wrong. I also felt that the development of some of the characters was not that good, and only centered on the red hood who had a sense of sensitivity in solving cases. I just find it a bit strange, just by looking and the red hood knows what's going on. I felt it was less challenging for a mystery. I just feel that Cinderella deserves something better, because she was bullied by her stepmother and stepsisters.

Wonderfully creatively ridiculous, and I love it!

[xykatexy · 7/10 · 14 September 2023]

This one is a twisted take on Cinderella and Red Riding Hood fairytales, with a detective true crime story.

It is quite a weird one I must say, full of these deadpan attempts to be funny and ending up not being funny at all- but it's still enjoyable for no good reason.

One huge plus though, the creativity in this is immense. The COSTUMES, let me tell you, those costumes are STUNNING, and the color of the movie is just a feast to the eyes!

I would say to watch this one if you have nothing better to do, but want to watch something easy and comfortable. No search for deeper meanings, no explosion- just comfort and lightness. But isn't that something we all need once in a while?

Im sorry but no💀

[leilaniwaan · 2/10 · 17 September 2023]

This movie was good at the beginning and i liked all the characters up until the end. Little red riding hood was definitely a detective but no way any one would think of finding a shoe in a pigeon grave. The mystery was random and why would the prince be so attached to a character we know little to nothing about. Cinderella was one of the characters who deserved a happy ending so why tf would they make her be betrayed by little red riding hood like that? It makes little red's character unlikable since they were both lovable characters with good dynamics. With cinderella and the prince aswell, they had a good connection and dynamic. Cinderella had been through so much and all she wanted was to be chosen. They had at least a little chemistry and background compared to the prince and remi. Overall i do not like this movie just because the ending ruined it all.

Cinderella with a twist

[magnoliacream · 7/10 · 16 September 2023]

Little Red Riding Hood (Kanna Hashimoto), an adventurous and inquisitive girl, sets off on a journey to enrich her life. She meets a bedraggled girl who introduces herself as Cinderella (Yûko Araki). Little Red Riding Hood goes to the ball with her. She also helps authorities uncover a mystery or two.

Those who think this is just another take on an oft-repeated tale, think again. The story is very daring, turning as beloved a fairytale as Cinderella on its head. I bet you would not expect what happens in the end. Question every scene and see if you can find clues along the way.

I actually liked it. Mysteries and twists always entertain when they are plausible. And the story makes them so.

Worst storyline

[waseemrazajafri · 3/10 · 16 September 2023]

Cinderella story was one of my childhood stories and before starting the movie i was thinking about some kind of crossover between little red riding hood and Cinderella. Events seems reasonable till sandals but then Cinderella got arrested for defending herself. Prince was already in love with some random girl even before meeting with Cinderella. Fairy godmother turned out to be a witch. That was not all and ending for Cinderella was worst. That attack was a self defense and Story could end in better way.

I personally don't recommend this movie to anyone. Totally Piece of junk storyline. Watch it if you want to ruin your childhood character.

Can I get my 1 hour 47 mins back?

[ansyfw · 20 September 2023]

Oh my god, it's poorly executed. Not entertained at all, even though the actors tried to make it funny. The scriptwriting is JUST SO POOR. I knew from the trailer that it was gonna be a crime-solving story, and expected something intense or an intriguing story, but nothing from the movie could do it. The plot was terrible, so many dialogues, the acting was okay but not great. Really disappointed. Maybe some would say they didn't see the plot twist coming at the end and claimed the movie good. Still nah for me. The movie was recommeneded by my sister and while watching this together, I couldn't help but say, "I'm so disappointed in ur rec." Not my sister to be blamed tho lol

Just don't waste your time on this pls.

I could not move pass the annoying characters

[khemass · 6/10 · 8 February 2024]

I admitted that I didn't finish the movie. There might be some interesting plot twists waiting ahead, but I felt from the beginning that it looks like fantasy that looks like a farce in costume, or a comedy that isn't even funny. The voice and action of the witch character was extremely annoying. Cinderella and red-hood girl exchanged some boring scripts. Then another annoying character popped up, looking like an angel or something. I couldn't stand watching it anymore. It's boring and isn't funny or interesting in anyway. The costume looks fancy alright but that doesn't enough to get me through. So I just write my experience and opinion as being from someone who couldn't manage to watch this movie to the end.

I was bitterly disapointed.

[miketkrwilliams · 1/10 · 16 September 2023]

I am a huge fan of Japanese TV and cinema and when I saw the trailer for this I was really excited by the concept and the actors who I had seen in other very good productions (example: from Today It's My Turn). Unfortunately it turned out to be a big disappointment and we stopped watching after about 45 minutes and it was tough making it even that far. The writing is just terrible and NOT FUNNY. Such a great concept and a great cast as well but the bottom line is none of that can overcome a terribly written script with stilted dialog and jokes that all fall flat. I don't think I laughed even once. When my daughter said to me, "this isn't doing it for me" I was relieved and we turned it off. THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD PAY YOUR WRITERS WELL! Nothing overcomes bad writing.

A fairy tale with an anime touch

[jesshillert · 8/10 · 15 September 2023]

This movie has a great thought out story, real emotions and otherwise do not take itself too seriously. If you like Gintama and other similar anime, then you will probably enjoy this movie a lot. It has good quality in all aspects in my opinion.

But if you want a traditional Hollywood style movie, then this is definitely not it. People who has never seen anime will probably be very confused about this movie lol, and thus the low score ?

Also better with the original audio and not the dub (in my opinion at least).

This movie might not be for the majority of people (especially if you do not like anime), but will be a fun watch if it is your nisch (basically like anime and fairy tales I guess). It is a really good movie for what it is meant to be.

Just Felt Very Amateur

[jaynuguid-63882 · 2/10 · 17 September 2023]

I'm sorry it just felt like I was watching a cheap porn parody of Cinderella minus the nude scenes. I was expecting more creativity since it's a Japanese movie but there was none. The acting was also horrible, it just reminded me of school play acting. The cinematography felt like it was done by kids in high school trying to make their very first home made movie. I can't even believe I still had the appetite to finish the whole movie, maybe it was just out of curiosity on how the story would turn out since I had no idea what the plot was. All I can think of is how and why Netflix approved this movie to be made and released.

Underdeveloped characters, unfortunate storyline

[thelyness · 1/10 · 21 January 2024]

Unfortunately, this film is not worth watching.

It started with a simple plot with Red Riding Hood going on an adventure and meeting Cinderella. However, it was revealed at the end that RRH knew that Cinderella had some issues. So, she chose to stay with Cinderella to unfold the truth.

The most heartbreaking and cruel part of this film is Cinderella's story and ending. She was bullied and vilified by her family to the point of hopelessness. She was trapped and had to defend herself, hence killing the hairdresser. She did not deserve this treatment! It basically justifies that if you're poor, ugly, and bullied, you will remain that way for the rest of your life. Going to prison for defending yourself! She had some faults too but it's not the focus. They also made her into a hapless woman.

The prince was a coward, too. And they chose a film where the male counterpart had feelings for another woman. Of course, it would not end well for others.

The film also touches on abuse (s*xual or otherwise) as the hairdresser was cutting the women's hair with or without their consent. He was also keeping their locks as "treasures". So much can be said about that behavior. The movie also establishes that the hairdresser was problematic, but the ones in high places didn't resolve that. They had the power to stop the hairdresser's actions. But they chose to tolerate it. The hairdresser even threatened the prince. It subtly shows that those in power will protect problematic people despite the concerns addresses by the public.

This is a messed up film! I thought it was going to be amazing, but I was wrong! Don't waste your time. Don't watch it. I HAVE SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS FILM I HAD TO CREATE THIS ACCOUNT!!

Interesting take on a grimm tale.

[the_malbogia · 6/10 · 21 September 2023]

TLDR: Its basically a japanese murder mystery drama told through a lot of narrative, with a fairy tale backdrop.

I love the name "Once upon a crime" so I had to dive in. While I'm not generally a fan of grim/fairy tales in general (even if told is some edgy new-age way), I gave this one a chance because honestly, I had nothing else to watch.

I was pleasantly surprise the spin they took on the 'Cinderella' story. The ending genuinely surprised me. You have your expectations of how these stories will end (both the fairy tale and the murder mystery), but this one had a decently good twist to it. Definitely something to watch if you're into Japanese type murder drama. Probably not something that would fly too well with American audiences.

Its fun, its whimsical, its different. Its okay.

I wanted to like it, truly.

[giannaekent · 2/10 · 17 September 2023]

It only gets 2 out of 10 because the set, costumes, and VFX were great.

The story, however, was trash.

I get that they were trying to subvert the classic narrative (which is fine if it had been written to make sense) and I'm not even mad at the Sherlock Holmes-esque super intelligence they gave Little Red or the obvious "beggar" being someone important, but the way they tried to make it all make sense at the end was just poor writing and storytelling and made everyone (especially the magical beings!) before the reveal seem like idiots. Also some of the writing was just weird leaps of logic that, again, only made everyone seem stupid.

In the end, I didn't care about the dead guy because he was terrible person with a history of attacking/coercing women and the medal should've gone to the killer.

If you have time to waste, and honestly nothing else to rewatch, go ahead and watch this but don't expect to be entertained.

This plot is so weak this is so suck

[vichavichaphol · 3/10 · 24 September 2023]

Every reason behind the story is quite stupid . I feel like i waste 2 hours for nothing . Each character seem nonsense. I don't buy any reason behind the crime seen . Most of characters's characteristic are so cringe and weird . The production and costume seem nice but the story really bring it to hell. I keep watching because I expect it to become make sense in the end but after it end . I just have the feeling that why this even on the netflix. If you kinda want to waste you time you can watch it but if not I think you can spend time do something more entertaining. This review requires too long character.

It's fun and enjoyable. Not your common disney cinderella story tho

[hajimearata · 7/10 · 18 September 2023]

I don't know why a lot of people hated it. I think it's funny and enjoyable.

Of course it's not your common disney cinderella/red riding hood story, it's combined with crime and mystery genre, so it's gonna be a different story. So for a fanatic fan of cinderella/red riding hood, i bet they hated it.

For me it's enjoyable, they cgi and costume and vfx is amazing, im amazed the whole show, and of course all the girls are very kawaii, and at the end there's a lot of plot twist that shocks me.

Of course it's not all that great, there's some minus too, like they drag the story too long in the middle trying to find the murder even though i think the detective already know who the murderer is, and at the end I think the murderer isn't at fault, of course she murder someone, but it was a self defense.

Cool but weird

[ojodanielmary · 2/10 · 18 September 2023]

Once upon a crime, it's one of the best reversed fairy tale fantasies I ever watched, great plot, and good graphics. But my problem is the message of the movie, it actually turned Me off and I believe every lovers of Cinderella characters, painting her to be a bad person, it actually a spoiler to the character of Cinderella, which I find not fitting and not nice. It's like a spoiler to the character of Cinderella for me and it just made me regreted watching it or even downloading it. If we start making all the fairy tales characters look evil then who will now promote their own movies. It's wd.

This is a great movie to watch with children. Definitely recommend it.

[sahirazaman · 10/10 · 14 September 2023]

I saw this movie on the day it came out and I loved it. It many funny moments like when little red riding hood completely ignores the witch in the forest and tries to move on and when they are burying Mr. Hans body after running it over. It also has a lot of suspenseful moments like when the prince gets convicted for murder. The ending plot twist caught me off guard and I was left shocked, This film makes a murder mystery out of cinderella and little red riding hood and it is very creative and unique as it is not what what you would expect from a typical cinderella and little red riding hood movie.

Delightful Riff on Western Fairy Tales.

[net_orders · 7/10 · 28 January 2024]

An intriguing and amusing story for grownups about a chance encounter between a now-adult Red Riding Hood (RRH) and Cinderella. The movie is packed with beautiful would-be princesses inhabiting a kingdom devoted to all things beautiful with one exception -- its king (marvelously played by Jiro SATO)! "Master" RRH does pro bono work in trying to solve the murder of a predatory royal male hair stylist obsessed with collecting the long hair of women whether they want a short-hair look or not. Acting and direction are okay. Production value seems high. Cinderella's pumpkin carriage design is super original. CGI is fine. Subtitles are close enough. Closing hints at more RRH adventures to come. Yokatta! (Great!) Viewed on Netflix. WILLIAM FLANIGAN.

The real crime is the ending.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 4/10 · 8 October 2023]

This is... wild. 'Once Upon A Crime (2023)' is a spin on the classic Cinderella tale that asks the age old question: "what if Red Riding Hood was in this and she was a detective who became involved in uncovering the truth behind the murder of a royal hairdresser?". Just a classic "what if?" situation, really. What starts out feeling like it's for five-year-old children soon takes a bit of a (seemingly unintentional) turn as it tosses a dead body into the mix and just keeps getting more sinister from there. It's not as if it ever switches gears entirely into grown-up territory, but it definitely starts to veer away from what initially seems to be its target audience (while, at the same time, kind of playing exclusively to it).

The whodunnit is a colourful, camp pantomime that lacks any real semblance of cinema and feels as though it belongs on a cheap kids channel but is also kind of weirdly awesome in its own way. It's essentially the wildest case Phoenix Wright never took on, feeling like a JRPG in the best ways possible. Honestly, I kind of like a lot of it. It's never exactly good in any real sense of the word, but it undeniably has this strangely compelling quality that keeps you floating in the space between bemusement and boredom for its majority. If you take it for what it is, there's some genuine - if slight - enjoyment to be had.

And then there's the ending. I don't really want to spoil anything - well I do, but I don't think I should - so all I'll say is that it wraps up in an incredibly frustrating way and treats a particular like absolute dirt even as it establishes that they didn't really do anything wrong (mistakes were made, sure, but the lack of sympathy here is appalling) and that they're every bit as poorly treated yet genuinely lovely as they first appear to be (even though they did something bad, they clearly aren't a bad person). It just leaves an awful taste in your mouth because you can tell the movie itself doesn't think it's doing anyone a disservice, which further reinforces the implication that the story's classist messaging isn't exactly an accident (even if its meek final moments seem to be an effort to prove that it's actually against the classist attitudes its characters hold). The ending drops the ball so badly that it actively affects how I rate the overall movie.

Ultimately, although there is some fun to be had here and there, this is a bizarre and generally quite bad picture that totally botches its ending. I must say, though, that its fairy tale costuming is absolutely heavenly.

A fun spin of the classic tale

[emelievik-863-464938 · 6/10 · 7 February 2024]

While a bit odd and at times not so logical it's a fun movie with a fun twist.

The actors are both fun and enjoyable to watch. The comedic scenes are comedic and left me laughing hard.

The main thing I would say makes is that the main character little red is a bit bland when put besides other actors. Same with the prince who just doesn't look that handsome to me. But this i think is just a matter of taste and doesn't impact the story in a bad way.

I do think that. The end was both a nice well done twist but I also feel that the motive could have easily been explained as self defense.

Recommend this to you who like a bit of mystery with your classical fairy tale.

Feels like 1st draft fanfic from a 12-year-old girl

[daleypaley · 3/10 · 16 November 2023]

This movie really needed an adult to check the script. A truly disappointing experience, because I wanted so much to like it.

Beautiful costumes, nice aesthetic, lovely fairytale mashup.

But it was just so badly written. Nothing made sense, the plot was silly and incredulous, with a series of non-sequitur conveniences so they could pretend it was a murder mystery.

I liked Little Red Riding Hood at first, but she soon became an insufferable Mary Sue, bossing everyone around (including the Prince and the King) and instantly being liked and worshiped and listened to by everyone at court.

I can suspend my disbelief for anything, except human behaviour, and this movie was ridiculously bad in that regard.

Such a disappointment. In the hands of someone talented, they could have made something wonderful.

Good Enough

[PennyReviews · 5/10 · 18 October 2023]

Japanese Movie " Once Upon a Crime " is a mystery retelling of the Grimm fairy tales, focusing on the Little Red Riding Hood as she tries to solve a crime involving Cinderella.

The movie is a fun watch, with a light mood and an amusing story. The mixture of the fairytale characters was an interesting one, resulting in an enjoyable twist on the well-known stories. Also, this movie was Kiritani Mirei's comeback!

On the other hand, the mystery was boring and too simple, and not enough to support the whole film. There were some cheesy moments as well.

Still, the performances were enjoyable.

So, overall, five out of ten.