APRIL STORY (Japanese with subtitles)
A review by Mark R. Leeper in bullet-list form
from the Toronto Internation Film Festival
CAPSULE: A pleasant slice-of-life about a woman from Hokkaido adapting to life at a Tokyo University. Toward the end there is a twist and the viewer discovers the plot has been developing all along. Rating: 6 (0 to 10), high +1 (-4 to +4)
- Directed by Shunji Iwai - Young woman leaving Hokkaido to go to Musashino University in Tokyo. - Slice-of-life style just shows what life is like adjusting to her tiny dorm room, her nervousness about meeting new classmates, We also see her recreation as she goes to a movie, becomes a regular at a local bookstore, makes a few friends, joins a school fishing club. Her life seems very lonely. - Story could have taken place in England, US, Canada, etc. - Dorms in Japan seem very depressing. Tiny rooms, rundown walls, rust on metal. - Appears to be snowing when she leaves Hokkaido and when she arrives in Tokyo. You realize in Tokyo it is actually not snow but apple blossoms falling. There is a pleasant musical theme as the score. It seems to be played on a single piano. - Film is short, about 67 minutes. Seems like it could be an afternoon TV program for high school girls.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@lucent.com
Copyright 1998 Mark R. Leeper
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