Watches
February 11, 2023
Not one of Hashiguchi's brightest films. The somewhat ironic title is in bad taste and the mix of stories feels a tad random. There are some solid dramatic moments here and Hashiguchi clearly has a knack for drama, it's just that the film felt a bit lazy at times. Fans of his work should definitely seek it out though.
Atsushi is good at his job but he is somewhat unattractive. The love of his life is taken from him and he struggles to continue living. A wife is neglected by her husband and is mistreated by her mother-in-law, and a gay man picks the wrong lover. All three struggle with the darker side of love.
The performances are decent, but Hashiguchi really delves into the misery here. The presentation is a bit bland and the mix of the stories (they're not told separately, but interwoven without really connecting) is somewhat awkward. A decent drama, I'd just expected a bit more going in.