Life Back Then

You never quite know what you're going to get with Takahisa Zeze, but going by the poster it should be no surprise that you need to gear up for a more sentimental film. At least, that's what you're getting in the latter half, the first part of Life Back Then is quite a bit darker. I would've preferred it if Zeze had kept it like that.

Nagashima had a hard time at school, so finding a job isn't easy for him. He gets employed by a small company that cleans up the houses of the deceased. It's a somewhat macabre job, but Nagashima finds the work quite comforting. He works together with Yuki, who also struggled growing up, and the two help each other to open up about their past.

The flashbacks are pretty grim and seem to foreshadow a gritty drama, but when Nagashima and Yoko meet the film turns softer. The back-and-forth keeps it from becoming overwhelmingly sentimental, but the balance shifts noticeably and not for the better. Still, some good performances, strong drama, and a few powerful scenes make this a worthy drama.