Watches
September 06, 2021
A typical Japanese drama, structured as an ensemble film. It's a bit of an odd mix, nothing something you see that often, but Oh handles it well and uses it to her advantage. Because of the many characters it takes a while before the film finds its footing, but the second half is sure to please all fans of Japanese drama.
The film follows a class of young kids in a mid-sized rural village. Some of them are bullied at school, others are beaten at home, some can't fit in with the others. A first-year teacher is finding out how difficult it is to keep all these young kids in check, while learning a thing or two about his own life in the process.
Some sites have this listed as a comedy, which is absolutely crazy. Sure enough Oh ends her film on a positive note and this isn't the most depressing drama ever, but there are some pretty harsh scenes here and there's no lack of adversity for the characters. Still, she handles it with style and never lets the film derail. A warm recommend.