Say ‘Hello!’ to a viewing object that is an enigma in
itself. What you behold on screen will
seem for the most part straightforward and entirely logical. But think about it for a
moment and its existence is a marvel. What could bring this uncharacteristically ecstatic work into being? It’s hard to imagine it being possible anywhere except perhaps another galaxy, and then of course Japan.
HELLO! JUNICHI drops in on the lives of a band of third
graders: their love interests, their hang-ups, their dreams and the hardships
they bear. Although wrapped in some good-natured zaniness and baring the
hyperactivity that comes with such an age, it’s an uncondescending, thoughtful portrayal,
continuing a tradition of taking kids seriously that we often see in the films of Kore-eda.
Imagine if you will who would take on such an endeavor in
the West? It’s not so much of a stretch to see realistic on-screen enactments
of adolescents. It’s a time period close enough and relevant to adults’
experiences for them to be willing to return to. And adolescents themselves are forming tastes
and have a vested interest in seeking out stories about characters they can
closely relate to. But children right in the middle of their elementary school
days? I’m trying to imagine a scene of 8 and 9 year old mumblecore fans getting
walked to or dropped off at an arthouse cinema in Shimo Kitazawa or perhaps
Koenji. I can’t quite picture it. Nevertheless, JUNICHI exists, thanks to eccentric
visionary director Katsuhito Ishii (FUNKY FOREST, THE TASTE OF TEA) for third
graders, should they come across the opportunity to see it, and grown up fans
of unadulterated merriment alike.
The scenarios the kids face arise with the subtlety of a
week’s worth of afterschool sitcoms crammed into the length of a movie. They
range from central character Junichi’s inability to muster the confidence to return
an eraser to a girl he likes to another boy, whose family faces financial
hardships, considering shoplifting in order to get birthday present for his
overworked mother, to a child actor’s desire to woo a young woman working as a
shop clerk who also models and has been in commercials with him. The kids have
a range of economic situations and personality types, and the fact that this
does not affect their friendships is evidence of a wonderfully idealistic
sentiment at work. So too is the ambition and sense of achievement we get among
the kids, particularly Tanaka, a tough girl who won’t take guff from anyone
including the older neighborhood bullies, determined to be a successful
pop singer. When she sings her heart out over the requisite musical number,
it’s both a charming and profoundly uplifting moment.
Meanwhile the acting is remarkably genuine. At the outset
and several times throughout, they appear to have been given a scenario and
asked to improvise. It’s conceivable that they did sometimes and not others
since two people are credited as co-directors along with Ishii.
Adding quite a bit of flair is Hikari Mitsushima’s
(similarly electrifying in ‘mean girl’ roles in LOVE EXPOSURE and VILLAIN)
performance as a student teacher whose garishness and straight from the hip
talk is far opposed to the expected nurturing teacher role. Is she employing
clever psychological techniques to help the kids find their way or just being
100 percent true to her audacious self?
HELLO! JUNICHI is absolutely peppered with instances of singular strangeness too: impromptu pro wrestling matches break out between
classes, refereed by lucha libre mask wearing individual who suddenly
appears; a duo of an African gentleman and free spirited Japanese woman rides a
bicycle past Junichi on his way to school, greeting him with a hearty ‘hello!’
in English. Perhaps the latter is a symbol of boldness and embracing a friendly
spirit toward all? Then there is the infectiously silly and simple dance shown
repeatedly over the closing credits that will have audiences dancing in the aisles…or
at least wishing they could return to a time of youthful innocence when they
could actually do so.
HELLO! JUNICHI plays at the 2014 JAPAN CUTS festival of
contemporary cinema at 3 pm on Sunday, July 20 at Japan Society. Click here for
more information or to buy tickets.
Me on twitter = @mondocurry
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