Director: Nobuhiro Doi (Be With You)
Starring: Satoshi Tsumabuki (Waterboys), Masami Nagasawaé (Crying Out Love from the Centre of the World)
RunTime: 120 mins
Genre: Drama (Japanese)
Rating: PG
"Nada Sou Sou" means "never-ending tears" in the Japanese Okinawa dialect, but do not expect much tears from this movie.
Yes, people expect to cry buckets just like Japanese films Crying Out Love and Be With You. Perhaps audiences are already spoilt with the proliferation of Korean tearjerkers.
The premise of this movie is very 'Korean', reminiscent of Autumn in My Heart – A brother-sister relationship (not related of course, not incestuous), the struggles of love, filmed at scenic spots by the countryside. It drew light chuckles, with the all-so-familiar scene of little brother carrying the sister on the back along the beach (Music please).
The movie is based on Rimi Natsukawa’s hit song Nada Sousou in 2001 (made popular in Singapore by Joi Chua’s Pei Wo Kan Ri Chu). However, a story of a young man falling in love with his step sister is nothing new. In fact, some of the subplots seems borrowed from other movies (Gigolo Wannabe, Crying Out Love). With a straight narrative like this, nobody needs to tell you what happens in the end. No, it is not cancer, though.
The main charm in the movie has to be the lead Satoshi Tsumabuki, last seen in Fast and The Furious. His sunshine personality and endearing smile would captivate most girls, and this is someone you can bring home to your mother with. No doubt, this movie will propel him to greater star status.
His sister is cute in her own way, too cute perhaps. As she shrieks "NEE NEE" (brother) repeatedly at the top of her voice, you wish she was a mute sister.
The characters are told to control the tears in the movie (through a light pinch on the nose). The director paints a rather optimistic and sanguine picture throughout, probably suggesting that this is meant to be a light romance piece, and may disappoint those expecting more. The appeal is in its subtlety.
Keep your tissues.
Nada Sou Sou – This subtle Japanese love story may be So-So for those spoilt by Korean tearjerkers.
About me
Previous posts
Archives
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- January 2009
0 Responses to “Nada Sou Sou”
Leave a Reply