SYNOPSIS:
Due to the traumatic event from the past, high school sophomore beauty RIO cannot trust others but money despite always being the center of the friends' admiration. People around her are just the thing of disposal - they are there for her benefits. One day, however she meets a lone university instructor MITSUKI and falls deep in love. She learns to love a person for the first time and even though she gets confused and frustrated with her own change of feelings, she tells him right out of her heart how she feels. MITSUKI starts to get attracted but he had a reason not to accept her love...
MOVIE REVIEW:
Would any guy be able to resist the pretty angelic-looking Nozomi Sasaki? Even more, would any guy be able to turn her away if she takes a liking to you and wants you to be her boyfriend? I seriously doubt so- which is why when 35-year-old history professor Kouki (Shosuke Tanihara) first rejects her overt advances, this reviewer raised an incredulous eyebrow. Does he know how many other guys would love to be in his position?
Of course, it’s never as simple as it looks. Nozomi Sasaki plays Rio, a gorgeous 17-year-old high school girl with a traumatic past (which the movie only reveals much later). Together with two other friends, she presides over a school prostitution ring and in the film’s first few scenes, is seen introducing a meek bookish girl Tomoko to life on the wild side. Her alternative lifestyle also affords her the luxury of living in a posh condo in downtown Tokyo, thanks to the generosity of her ‘sugar daddy’.
Yuri Kanchiku’s directorial debut, based on the popular cell-phone novel, broaches two highly publicized social phenomena in Japan- the Lolita complex and teenage prostitution- though one expecting a more in-depth exploration of both subjects will ultimately be disappointed. Kanchiku’s film candy-coats both phenomena, portraying Rio and her gang as hipper-than-thou teenagers whose lifestyle consists of some of the trendiest shopping, dining and clubbing places in Tokyo. There is a definite ‘wow’ factor to it- nevertheless, one should be worried about what message this sends to the young.
But admittedly, this is not the film’s concern; rather, it is meant to be a touching love story between Rio and Kouki, two unlikely opposites whose lives are changed by their encounter with each other. Rio abandons the glamour and lure of her prostitution days for the studious way of life- asking Kouki for personal history lessons (also as an excuse to get near him) and aiming to score full marks for her history exam. Kouki, in turn, begins to open up his former reserved inward self to her ingénue charm and begins to embrace life more confidently.
Kouki himself turns out to have his own little secret- which audiences shouldn’t find too difficult guessing, given his practice of ‘counting down the days’. So after a sweet and mostly heartfelt courtship (by Rio no less), the reality of their separate lives will test the strength of their union. Where lesser directors would have blatantly turned the premise into melodrama, director Yuri Kanchiku deftly avoids these pitfalls and instead delivers a touching poignant- though still largely unbelievable- story of love overcoming life’s odds. Indeed, by the time the obligatory flashbacks of those tender moments between Rio and Kouki comes along, you’ll be surprised by how unexpectedly adorable and delightful they are.
However, the least credible and arguably weakest aspects of the film come from its even more improbable subplot involving a fellow classmate, Naomi, whom Rio was engaged in a lesbian relationship with before meeting Kouki, and the oft- misused plot devices of rape and suicide. The intention is clear- Rio’s relationship with Kouki leads her to understand the folly of her callous ways in handling her relationships with those who love her- but the execution is too clumsy to achieve the desired effect.
For a newcomer, fashion model Sasaki is surprisingly competent in the lead role of Rio. Although her porcelain looks already make her a perfect fit for the role, she displays a good grasp of her character’s dynamics, alternating between precocity and childlike enthusiasm with surprising ease. There is also palpable chemistry between Sasaki and Tanihara (viewers may remember from Handsome Suit) which makes their pairing more genuine than the premise allows.
And because of their chemistry between the leads, certain scenes such as Rio and Kouki’s first kiss and their first movie date are especially amusing and charming- not that it makes the unlikely premise any more credible or Kouki’s initial rebuff of Nozomi Sasaki’s advances any less incredulous. There’s a fantasy-like quality to “My Rainy Days” but once in a while, if it’s as sweet and poignant as this, it’s nice to indulge in a little make-believe.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Just a trailer and a photo gallery if you would like to ogle at Nozomi Sasaki a little more.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Audio comes in both Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1. Considering the material, the 5.1 track is surprisingly good, making full use of the back speakers for ambient sounds. Visual transfer could do with a little sharpening- that said, the soft focus does suit the mood of the movie well.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING:
Review by Gabriel Chong
Posted on 10 Jun 2010
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