Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2011

In a break from the usual manga-based movies which rule Japan these days, this work is an adaptation of Shion Miura’s Naoki Prize-winning novel of the same name, which has sold more than 500,000 copies. As such it has a more literary and existential feel than your usual J-film, and this imagistic style works well for director Tatsushi Omori. Omori, the eldest son of acting and butoh legend Akaji Maro, has made some fascinating films in the past. The brutal but compelling Gerumaniumu no Yoru (“The Whispering of the Gods”; 2005) was much heralded and played in Tokyo for more than six months. This meandering piece adds a different notch to Omori’s belt. In the unremarkable town of Mahoro on the outskirts of Tokyo, Tada (Eita) has a little shop in front of the station as a fix-it man. The film builds an absorbing atmosphere early on, with observations on everyday life and seemingly plain, but carefully crafted, vignettes. Tada meets Gyoten (Ryuhei Matsuda), a school chum with whom he has a history, and soon the two are a team, performing odd jobs for those in the neighborhood. While there is little in the plot that drives it forward, the characters, Tada’s voiceovers, and the nuances of day-to-day life make for surprisingly interesting viewing. (125 min)