First and foremost, the plot is emotionally entertaining yet draining, although its fiction but the realities shown in the film happens in real life. The plot can also trigger certain yearnings that humans looks or expects to have or even experience in real life. For aesthetics (im not sure if its just my screen), overall sense of colors i've felt and seen in the film were in the shades of black, gray, red, and a little bit of white, im not sure if it wants to trigger certain nostalgic innermost emotions. Anyway, the feeling of struggle, brokenness, the yearning to be open about who you are versus society wants you to be, to love and be loved, being blind-sided, death and rebirth were quite represented in the film. For the ending, "for now" it can go both ways, depends on the viewer, well, in the end you choose your own happiness.
2 Reviews
Too many storylines
Davalon-Davalon31 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The most important thing to note here is that the director of this film is one of the writers for the smash hit "Drive My Car." I can only hope that film is better than this one.
This story struggled to land, because it followed way too many storylines: Kohei, a supposedly straight man (the extremely handsome Joe Nakamura) has a sort of dull existence teaching kids how to swim. He has no other job that I can discern of. His wife suddenly divorces him, taking their teen daughter with her.
In a drunken stupor he inexplicably ends up in Ni-Chome, the "gay" district" of Tokyo (but why? I guess he is "closeted."). He falls down drunk and is helped by a young man, "Yuta," (Yohdi Kondo) into a gay bar. When Kohei snaps out of it and realizes he's in a gay bar, he freaks out a little, but the customers and staff welcome him and he continues to drink (even though he's already drunk).
Later, he inexplicably wakes up in Yuta's apartment, panicked that he's been raped. When Yuta assures him he has not been "touched," he calms down. Soon, Kohei finds himself attracted to Yuta and they become this kind of couple and within moments, he is living with him.
The story then covers all the ups and downs in their lives, including Yuta's father's death, the death of the gay club owner "Priscilla," the bullying of a little boy at the swim club where Kohei teaches, the lives of the patrons of the gay club, Kohei's coming out to his daughter, various stupid comments from neighbors and people on the street about gay people being "creepy" and having a yuck factor, Yuta's dream to go to France and be an animator, bizarre fake sex between Yuta and Kohei, which they seem to perform with their pants on... and other story threads.
The movie moves at a snail's pace. There are many, many scenes of the two lead characters walking together and/or alone. The director seems to think these scenes are fascinating.
There is also a lot of talking. Way too much. And way too many chat scenes on phones and phones going off.
I gave the movie a 4 because I felt that parts of individual stories could have been interesting and on occasion, the director made an effort to light a few scenes well, and when he lands on Joe Nakamura's face, it's a thing of beauty.
No one in this movie can really act that well, but Joe has a movie star face. I see he has some acting credits, which is good. He might actually prove to be someone of value in the industry.
But otherwise... the story never rises to any point of strong interest. I see there was some effort made but it was too splintered story-wise, and as a result, nothing much of consequence happens.
This story struggled to land, because it followed way too many storylines: Kohei, a supposedly straight man (the extremely handsome Joe Nakamura) has a sort of dull existence teaching kids how to swim. He has no other job that I can discern of. His wife suddenly divorces him, taking their teen daughter with her.
In a drunken stupor he inexplicably ends up in Ni-Chome, the "gay" district" of Tokyo (but why? I guess he is "closeted."). He falls down drunk and is helped by a young man, "Yuta," (Yohdi Kondo) into a gay bar. When Kohei snaps out of it and realizes he's in a gay bar, he freaks out a little, but the customers and staff welcome him and he continues to drink (even though he's already drunk).
Later, he inexplicably wakes up in Yuta's apartment, panicked that he's been raped. When Yuta assures him he has not been "touched," he calms down. Soon, Kohei finds himself attracted to Yuta and they become this kind of couple and within moments, he is living with him.
The story then covers all the ups and downs in their lives, including Yuta's father's death, the death of the gay club owner "Priscilla," the bullying of a little boy at the swim club where Kohei teaches, the lives of the patrons of the gay club, Kohei's coming out to his daughter, various stupid comments from neighbors and people on the street about gay people being "creepy" and having a yuck factor, Yuta's dream to go to France and be an animator, bizarre fake sex between Yuta and Kohei, which they seem to perform with their pants on... and other story threads.
The movie moves at a snail's pace. There are many, many scenes of the two lead characters walking together and/or alone. The director seems to think these scenes are fascinating.
There is also a lot of talking. Way too much. And way too many chat scenes on phones and phones going off.
I gave the movie a 4 because I felt that parts of individual stories could have been interesting and on occasion, the director made an effort to light a few scenes well, and when he lands on Joe Nakamura's face, it's a thing of beauty.
No one in this movie can really act that well, but Joe has a movie star face. I see he has some acting credits, which is good. He might actually prove to be someone of value in the industry.
But otherwise... the story never rises to any point of strong interest. I see there was some effort made but it was too splintered story-wise, and as a result, nothing much of consequence happens.
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