Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

texwebs UPDATE (2 March 2016)Just received email from the film's director in response to my email of Feb. 29th where I had visited production company's web site asking about film and lamenting the fact it was not available on DVD. NEWS! The director told me that "out of the blue, MGM has released the movie on DVD" and it is now available on Amazon.com! After a decade or so of wanting a DVD of this film, my wish has been answered. Thanks MGM.This is a sweet, simple, funny low budget movie that is nearly impossible to find and as far as I can tell only on VHS. I have my third VHS copy. Can't remember what happened to first one. Second one I bought cheap at a flea market and had no sound. I have seen a used copy or two for sale on eBay and Amazon.I used this film in teaching Freshman Comp II at a community college in the early 90s for several reasons, but partly due to its low key humor that includes contrasting a real Japanese (a girl) with a Japanese- American wannabe rocker who eats cold cereal rather than sushi.It's a quiet movie with no sex, cursing, drugs etc. Just some interesting characters and a cute leading actress. The lead female character narrates the film in a sweet voice.

jasonbourneagain I liked Kiyoko (Minako Ohashi) right off the bat as we see her talk about her disappointment with an arranged marriage in Japan, and so she came to America to have an "independent American experience." She gets a job as a kitchen helper and tries to learn English by herself in the evening. She talks about what she wants to do in America such as visit Yosemite and see the Golden Gate Bridge. However, she has difficulties expressing herself in English. A few minutes later, we meet Ken (Ken Nakagawa), a Japanese-American man, who has a dead end job and dreams about being a rock n' roll star. We meet him as his girl friend is walking out on him because he's boring. Ken sits there, stares blankly, and eating his Cheerios while she dumps him. Maybe he should have had his Wheaties that morning. We see Ken is very American with his liking for donuts and disliking manju or Japanese pastry in a cafe scene. The story builds slowly, but Kiyoko and Ken meet and they end up getting married in a marriage of convenience, so she can stay in America. The rest shows us Kiyoko's friends at work and Ken's friends in his band, maintenance worker job, and his dad and sister's family. There are some good supporting characters and there is some good humor as they give their opinions to both Kiyoko and Ken about each other. Lana (Kate Connell) arranges for the two to meet and likes Ken even though he doesn't talk much. On the other hand, Shari (Judi Nihei) belittles Ken as boring. The payoff is watching Ken change from being boring with his mundane life to someone who starts to care about Kiyoko and would like for their marriage to succeed. Kiyoko doesn't have the same thinking and expresses herself in Japanese, but Ken does not understand. There are some lighthearted comedic moments, and the film succeeds in expressing the relationship between Kiyoko and Ken and what obstacles they must overcome for a real relationship to blossom.

Michael Neumann The point of contact between two cultures can be a sometimes bewildering place, affording a unique glimpse into both worlds while not necessarily allowing a clear understanding of either. In Steven Okazaki's debut dramatic feature the culture clash is less a collision than it is a comic stalemate, presenting a benign communication breakdown between two young strangers thrown together in an awkward marriage of convenience. Ken is the thoroughly Westernized (some might say lobotomized) third-generation Asian American drop-out and aspiring punk rock guitarist who reluctantly agrees to go through the motions of marriage with Kyoko, a shy Japanese visitor looking to circumvent immigration laws after her travel visa expires. As is often the case with an independent, shoestring production the script is let down by inconsistent acting, but the lack of experience (on both sides of the camera) can sometimes work in Okazaki's favor. Beneath the unpolished, student film veneer is more genuine humor and compassion than in any of the largely impersonal blockbusters released by Hollywood the same summer, and at only a fraction of the cost.

rishi333 The main plot line of "Living on Tokyo Time" is Ken's marriage of convenience to a Japanese national seeking a green card. But between the lines it is a character study of a Japanese American in a life crisis. Intimate and understated, we see an authentic portrait of a man who doesn't know where he belongs.