Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2011

Like the ukelele itself, this cheery little ode to the quintessential Hawaiian musical instrument is impossible to dislike. It first covers the humble four-string’s history, starting with its introduction to the islands (from Portuguese Madeira!), and looks at its various “golden ages.” But the flick really hits its stride when it delves into the uke’s myriad manifestations today: the genres, the classes, the clubs, the entire orchestras. Swedish punk uke, alt-folk uke, hip-hop uke. Then there’s the astounding Jake Shimabukuro and the equally awesome James Hill. And everyone’s smiling. You will too.