After a few months of not there being much worth watching, I'm quite optimistic for the new batch of dramas and it looks like one won't let me down.
This series is about Tsuboi Ryota, a moderately successful employee (played by Abe Hiroshi) and he's in a moderately happy marriage. His daughter is acting a bit odd, and she insists she has an imaginary friend. He's a typical guy getting through life when his father collapses and goes into a coma. After this he has to go back and forth between work in the city and the country hospital. Thus we get to see him interact with his two families.
It great to see Abe Hiroshi in a less-alpha male role. In this opening episode, he never seems to be in charge of any conversation he's in. And the dialogue has a lightness of touch which is very enjoyable. The humour rises naturally from the situation, with no use of over-acting or physical comedy. There's a great running joke at the hospital where people think that Ryota's business suit is a mourning suit.
YOU is a joy as Abe's younger sister, and so is Yamaguchi Tomoko as his wife. I can't fault the casting at all and it's been great to see YOU, who's always been underused in films in the past, get a decent amount of screen time.
Even after the opening two-hour episode, there are very few clues about how the story will progress, which is fine. Some vague hints at a mythical creature who the ill father went hunting for. What does it all mean? I shall be watching with great interest.
Nice to read your comments. Really liked the first episode too. I Love these slice of lifey series : )
ReplyDeleteThe cast was incredible and the acting brought a smile on my face as much as the subtle humor did. The only thing I'm afraid of, is that the story will go from reasonably lighthearted to very sad. Have seen that happen many timesin Japanese cinema, and the movies I've seen from director Koreeda weren't too happy endy.
The autumn dorama season seems so promising compared to the summer. The Tokkan series, that you translated, was one of the better series this summer, but although I liked it, it didn't really stand out. No fault of your subs, which were fine, especially with the explanatory notes and all : )
So, really looking forward to this season!
Ah, I hadn't realised it was directed by Koreeda. That explains why it feels like a film. Out of his films, I've seen After Life, Air Doll and I Wish, and they are very melancholy but I like stuff like that.
ReplyDelete