I did not know the plot of this film when I watched it and as a result there was a certain irony that I was watching it in free time which had been created by the last-minute cancellation of a business trip to Japan. That sting of being reminded to one side, Dan Miller is a reflective and unassuming little film where a small man with little of note finds himself flying into the brave new world of Tokyo. Once there he has to confront a life very different from the one at home.
It is hard to discuss this film without spoiling it, so I'll just plough ahead into doing that. The "new world" that Dan discovers is similar to the one experienced by Homer Simpson when he discovers a Japanese advert that looks a bit like him. In Dan's case the situation is billboards everywhere with his face on them, and he is considered a star and loved by many. The film doesn't overplay this plot; as we lean in to see if it is a likeness or what will happen with the story, the film starts packing up, and leaves us with the character processing what it means (if anything) that he is popular here but a nobody at home. The film doesn't answer that, which is good, but rather leaves it hanging for him and us.
I found it quite thoughtful in that way, and liked the idea of Dan struggling with the idea that he is somehow different based on how he is perceived, and then wondering why that would be what defines who he is or how he feels. It feels like a gimmick and it feels slight, but it is nicely thoughtful in that way.
It is hard to discuss this film without spoiling it, so I'll just plough ahead into doing that. The "new world" that Dan discovers is similar to the one experienced by Homer Simpson when he discovers a Japanese advert that looks a bit like him. In Dan's case the situation is billboards everywhere with his face on them, and he is considered a star and loved by many. The film doesn't overplay this plot; as we lean in to see if it is a likeness or what will happen with the story, the film starts packing up, and leaves us with the character processing what it means (if anything) that he is popular here but a nobody at home. The film doesn't answer that, which is good, but rather leaves it hanging for him and us.
I found it quite thoughtful in that way, and liked the idea of Dan struggling with the idea that he is somehow different based on how he is perceived, and then wondering why that would be what defines who he is or how he feels. It feels like a gimmick and it feels slight, but it is nicely thoughtful in that way.
