Will I Be Single Forever?

A contemporary (and considerably more accessible) successor to Tokyo.sora, just not quite as good as its predecessor. That's not saying too much though, as Ishikawa's first is one of my all-time favorite films. Will I Be Single Forever has plenty going for it, it's just a tad too poppy and leading for my personal taste.

Mami is a young writer who made her name writing a book about how great and empowering it is to be a single woman. Ten years later, she feels differently. She is lonely and wants someone to spend her life with, but finding a good guy is harder than expected. She's about to learn that being in a relationship doesn't necessarily rid people of their loneliness either.

The cinematography is polished, the performances strong (I was happy to see Miwako Ichikawa again, it's been a while) and there are some quirky details that help to set the film apart. The drama felt a bit forced at times though, which is what ultimately kept this film from greatness.