Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Konterr Brilliant and touching

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

mohammedyousef I did not understand , there are many questions The film is very mysterious

Carlos Frederico The innocent and delicate Nanami (Haru Kuroki) is about to marry Tetsuyo (Gô Jibiki), a traditional family boy she met in a chat-site. Nanami does not have family or friends to attend the rigid ceremonial and hires the services of Amuro (Gô Ayano), who has a company that provides (for a price) actors trained to act as their relatives. Now living a comfortable and submissive life, Nanami could become a housewife dedicated to trivial tasks if one day a stranger would not come to her claiming that her husband is cheating on her girlfriend. Even shaken, at first Nanami continues acting like nothing knew, but when the stranger threatens to kill Tetsuyo, she yields to the demands and will find him in a hotel. In fact, it is nothing more than a job paid for by his mother-in-law (and architect by Amuro) for the purpose of destroying his marriage. Without a job and without a place to live, Nanami must again look for the help of Amuro, who offers him a housekeeper job in a closed mansion, and, being Amuro who he is, nothing is what it seems to be. Japanese drama with an original story and excellent performances, mainly by Haru Kuroki, who plays a shy (and almost apathetic) girl, who as a piece without self-will is thrown from side to side by the interests of others, especially those orchestrated by the amoral (and supposedly his friend), Amuro. Great movie! Of those who stay with you for days.

Sky The visuals, cinematography, and acting were great. However, story was lackluster. The movie dares to have 4 stories drag in a 3 hour movie. The main female protagonist starts off down on her luck with risk of unemployment. However she meets a man online, gets married, then (without spoiling the story) we never see him again in the film. The truth is never revealed why it concluded that way. This trend continues with the actress meeting people but we never find out who they really are and what their motives are. We spend 3 hours in a movie but we do not even know the characters or get character development. That's right, the main protagonist doesn't learn anything through her journey. The music choice was beautiful, however it felt like a cop out since they used popular pre- composed music.

sitenoise The first scene brought rain to the edges of my eyes. I'm a sucker for these depictions of Zenly enduring, kind and capable, ultra-feminine baby-talking pillars of strength Japanese women. Haru Kuroki nails it immediately and I know what I'm in for: *This Charming Girl* level character painting, only Japanese, which is better. Kuroki is humiliated from several angles and perseveres. Her world falls apart big and fast, culminating in a slow motion walk along the river pushing two suitcases accompanied by major melodramatic music to end the first act, at about the one hour mark. I hadn't noticed the soundtrack up to this point (which is a good thing, I think), but this scene is gigantic. It blew me away in its stylish gutsiness, I had to pause the film and catch my breath. I was fist pumping the air at how good this was going, already looking to place the film in the pantheon of great Japanese cinema.In retrospect, the film should have ended right there, crescendo'd to the heavens, leaving me frustrated in love, begging for more. My two highest rated Iwai films are Undo and April Story, at 47 and 67 minutes respectively. Just sayin'.So I come back to the flick and Kuroki's on a phone call, and then she starts walking again to big music. This time it feels obnoxious, Kurosawa-esque, and the film starts falling apart quickly.Bottom line: you know an actor is in trouble when he brings gimmick to every scene. Big complicated shoes, eating-acting, fashion mistakes above his pay grade, chewing gum. Gô Ayano is terrible here, looking for accents or spices to give his character some flavor, and becomes a constant distraction for the rest of the film.Cocco isn't an actress. She a majorly intense personality. A couple big name directors highlighted her strengths in films about her. Iwai calls upon her to act, and drives the film off into the weeds making Acts II and III about her. She's Rip Van Winkle.In Acts II and III, the slumber party style scenes go on way too long. The music is ridiculous in trying to add some whoopy-whoopy to nothingness. Go-go Man irritates in his attempt to be someone cool like Brad Pitt.Iwai does Iwai very well. He has a mature mark, but doesn't unpack his stories well. I don't even know what I'm watching any more. Too many people giving too many long winded speeches, trying to find a poignancy even if it's not going to be quiet. All things lead to an embarrassing scene with Cocco's mother, after a confusingly scripted denouement (what did she know and when did she know it) spoils any chance of redemption. Quiet poignancy made a few appearances but never took over.