Kyô Mo Iyagarase Bentô
2019 / 106m - Japan
Comedy, Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Bento Harassment poster

Watches

October 18, 2020

3.5*/5.0*

Cute little coming of age comedy that stages an underhanded battle between a single mom and her teenage daughter. After directing some less than notable horror films at the beginning of his career, Renpei Tsukamoto has rebranded himself a comedy director, and he's done a pretty decent job.

After her husband died, Kaori tried her best raising her daughters by herself. When her youngest finally hits puberty, Kaori struggles to get a grip. Failing to come up with a better solution, she takes the passive aggressive route and prepares her daughter the cutest lunches she can muster, embarrassing her in front of her classmates.

Though set on a small Japanese island, the film doesn't have that typical island feel. Tsukamoto goes for a quirkier and lighter sense of humor, but can't quite keep it up. The inevitable switch to drama feels a bit forced, luckily the ending is quite alright. A film that leans on fun and well executed premise, but struggles with the balance between comedy and drama.