April Fish

A very quirky and outspoken comedy. It might help to read up a bit more about this film, as I never really got a handle on the vibe Obayashi was going for. There are so many French references that this might be a proper ode, but it could just as well be a parody of the arty-farty.

A Japanese director with a passion for France cuisine learns that a respected chef is coming to visit him. His wife is out for the moment, and so he hires an actress to play his wife and impress the chef. He even decides to prepare dinner, but there are too many moving parts to his plan and he gets in way over his head.

The film offers a somewhat weird mix of situational comedy and slapstick, sprinkled with a few typical Obayashi details. It's a bit messy and definitely chaotic, but I also appreciated the madness and the uniqueness of April Fish. Not his best film, but fans of the director are sure to have a good time.