Mixed Doubles (2017) [Film Review]

Mixed Doubles; or, The Winner Takes It All
     Don't act spoiled! What you feel doesn't matter. You should shine! Don't run away! One step in front!
Tough days at work? Strained relations with other people? Don’t you just want to unwind yourself and forget about everything? Then, take that table tennis racket and join the ping pong competition together with the legendary Gakki and Eita in the movie Mixed Doubles.

Release Info

Directed by: Junichi Ishikawa Starring:Yui Aragaki, Eita, Ryoko Hirouse

Language: Japanese Original Title: ミックス。Runtime: 114 min

Synopsis
Tamako Tomita (Yui Aragaki) was forced by her mother (Yoko Maki) to practice table tennis and participate in many championships since childhood. After her mother’s passing, Tamako moves to a city and tries to live an ordinary life. She gets a job in a corporation and meets a nice boyfriend, Ejima (Koji Seto), who is a company’s representative at table tennis tournaments. It turns out that Ejima cheats on Tamako with a table tennis partner, Airi (Mei Nagano). Tamako quits the job and returns heartbroken to her hometown. Her father (Fumiyo Kohinata) encourages her to start giving lessons at a table tennis club which was run by her late mother. Tamako gives it a try and she meets Hisashi Hagiwara (Eita), a former boxer who tries to win back the favours of his family. In order to help promote the club and settle the score with her ex-boyfriend, Tamako decides to take part in a mixed doubles table tennis tournament.

Never Giving Up

Mixed Doubles (original title Mikkusu) is a 2017 Japanese production directed by Junichi Ishikawa (who is perhaps best known for his work Legal High drama). I had completely no idea about the existence of this movie until I accidentally saw a poster online featuring Yui Aragaki and Eita! I was all the more surprised when it turned out that apart from the great leads there is also an ensemble cast composed out of many recognisable J-movie/drama actors and actresses.

The movie is a well made mixture of light-hearted rom-com and sports drama. Thankfully, the script is not too cheesy and clichéd (however, who in the right state of mind would cheat on Gakki?). In addition, the overall tone of the film is very earnest and warm. It is a sweet story about finding self-confidence and love akin to Shinobu Yaguchi’s Wood Job! (2014).

Of course, Mixed Doubles would not be so enjoyable without stellar performances. Gakki and Eita have perfect chemistry on the screen and I wish we could get more movies with them. Furthermore, I loved Ryoko Hirouse’s appearance as a rebel hillbilly, Yayoi. Nevertheless, I completely lost it when I saw Kenichi Endo, Fumiyo Kohinata, Yu Aoi, and Mei Nagano in supporting roles (plus cameos from Kotaro Yoshida, Anne Nakamura, and Katsuhisa Namase). Also, am I the only one who thinks that the appearance of Yoko Maki was an in-joke reference to Saikou no Rikon fans? Yoko appeared in only two scenes, but she totally rocked as a crazy mom obsessed with table tennis. The cast of this movie is so perfect!

Recommendations
To conclude, Mixed Doubles may not be a zany comedy like Fumihiko Sori’s Ping Pong (2002), but it is a heart-warming flick which will definitely make you feel good. Go ahead and watch it with your family if you can. Even though I suck at table tennis, I wholeheartedly recommend Mixed Doubles.Overall score: 8/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

After the Storm (2016) [Film Review]

After the Storm; or, One Step at a Time

     The lottery isn't gambling. It's a dream. A dream you buy for 300 yen.

The theme of family seems to be the most important one for director Hirokazu Koreeda. During his career spanning three decades, he made lots of films focusing on (and examining) family. However, it cannot be said that once you have seen one Koreeda film, you have seen them all. After the Storm is the perfect example proving how different Koreeda’s family stories can be each time.
Release Info

Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda Starring: Hiroshi Abe, Yoko Maki, Kirin Kiki, Taiyo Yoshizawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: 海よりもまだ深く Runtime: 118 min

 

Synopsis

Ryota Shinoda (Hiroshi Abe) is an acclaimed novelist who does research for his latest novel by working at a detective agency. He wastes money on gambling and can barely make ends meet. What is more, he has to pay child support to his ex-wife, Kyoko (Yoko Maki), or he won’t be able to meet up with their son, Shingo (Taiyo Yoshizawa), each month. Ryota tries to get additional money by offering shady detective work to the clients, but he mostly passes time on gambling and stalking Kyoko. He frequently visits his widowed mother, Yoshiko (Kirin Kiki), who moves on with her life after the death of Ryota’s father. There, he clashes with the sister, Chinatsu (Satomi Kobayashi) as both siblings suspect each other of taking advantage of their mother. Eventually, Ryota makes an attempt to win back his family.

 

“You always win at least 300 yen”

After the Storm was allegedly conceived by Koreeda after the passing of his own father in 2001, when he visited his mother coping with grief. However, the shooting did not start until 2014. At that time, the movie was filmed in the middle of Koreeda’s other production, Our Little Sister (2015).

 

Another striking aspect is Hiroshi Abe in the leading role playing the character called Ryota. Fans speculated that Hiroshi actually reprises his role from Koreeda’s earlier film Still Walking (2008), but the director himself explained that After the Storm is more of a companion piece than an actual sequel to that movie.

 

What After the Storm is actually about? The film focuses on the intimate portrayal of complex relationships within a family. It is quite funny, yet saddening at the same time, watching Hiroshi Abe as a beat-down novelist who does not know what he wants from life. He is not a Hank Moody-type though. It is more than entertaining to see Ryota following cheating couples or harassing high-school kids. He is a loser, but we cannot help rooting for him. Nevertheless, in a very psychological manner, Ryota becomes the very thing which he despised, his own (now deceased) father who was always broke due to gambling.

 

In a slow-paced fashion, Koreeda unravels how Ryota attempts to rebuild his family. The most instrumental figure in this endeavour is the character of grandma (brilliantly played by the late Kirin Kiki) who shares her warmth with the whole family. Not getting into any spoilers, the attempt of “rekindling” a bond between his ex-wife and the son during the storm allows Ryota to make a fresh start in life.

 

With regard to performances, Hiroshi Abe is awesome as always. I was quite surprised to see Yoko Maki (yes, the same Yoko Maki from Saikou no Rikon (2013)) in the role of the ex-wife, but she did great as well. Kirin Kiki obviously steals the show as the grandmother. Sosuke Ikematsu and Lily Franky provide decent supporting parts.

 

Recommendations

If there is a storm raging outside of your house. Then, the best way to wait it over is by watching After the Storm. As with most of Koreeda’s films, it is an engaging slice-of-life story which gives you some food for thought. I personally enjoyed this heart-warming film more than Shoplifters (2018).

Overall score: 8/10