Watches
April 29, 2023
This was another fine Ogigami, but it's a little disappointing to see she that has abandoned her former taste for quirkiness in favor of pursuing more traditional drama. Japan has plenty of straightforward dramas already and Ogigami doesn't really do enough to stand out from the crowd.
Yamada is a young boy who moves to a little rural town, trying to escape his troubled past. He finds a job in a fish factory, his boss hooks him up with a little apartment nearby. Yamada is a bit of a loner, but his neighbor Shimada won't have it and keeps pushing Yamada to socialize.
The performances are decent, Ogigami makes good use of the setting, the drama is light but poignant and the emotional beats don't miss their target. It's just that nothing really stands out too much, and knowing the films Ogigami made before, it feels like she's just not living up to her full potential. It's a good film, I just expect more from her.