YNOT at the Movies

Japanese film "It's Only Talk" ("やわらかい生活") is a quiet observant film. Watching this film brings me back fond memories of attending Asian Film Festivals. It reminds me the experiences when I watched films like "Grain In Ear" ("芒种") or "Café Lumière" ("珈琲时光"). Although they are completely different movies, but I can only find films like these in theatres during an Asian Film Festival.

In "It's Only Talk" ("やわらかい生活"), 30 something Yuko is taking a break living on her savings, because she is depressed. She wonders around and takes pictures and then posts them on her blog. She even meets strangers through her blog (sounds familiar?). She tells everybody in a matter of fact manner how her family and friends died tragically so people will feel sad about it. When her depression goes deeper, her cousin Shoichi came to be her company. Shoichi has very long legs, not it's relevant in any way, but it's just a physical profile I can not ignore. He cooks and cleans for her. When she asks why he doesn't cook and clean at his own home, he replies that when he goes back home, he would be depressed. They are unique characters that I don't see often in a film.

The film might sound really sad, but it's not. The film allows us to get inside these characters and to study their complex emotions.

I wish the subtitles didn't disappear so fast. I was constantly struggling to read what they say and looking up at the screen. Perhaps I missed a few lines here and there, so I didn't get part of the films. Or maybe they are not meant to be understood, only to be observed. One thing is certainly, this is not a film for everyone.

My rating: 7 out of 10.