Sekai no chûshin de, ai o sakebu (2004)

Director:

Isao Yukisada

Writers:

Kyouichi Katayama (novel)
Yuji Sakamoto (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 May 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

While searching for his fiancee Ritsuko, Sakutarou rediscovers through flashbacks the void deep within him caused by the events from his high school days.

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Asia | Flashback | Japan | Literature

Awards:

9 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Takao Osawa	...	Sakutaro Matsumoto
Kou Shibasaki	...	Ritsuko Fujimura
Masami Nagasawa	...	Aki Hirose
Mirai Moriyama	...	Sakutaro Matsumoto (High School)
Tsutomu Yamazaki	...	Shigezou Matsumoto
Kankurô Kudô	...	Ryunosuke Ooki
Kanji Tsuda	...	Johnny
Issei Takahashi	...	Ryunosuke (high school student)
Rio Kanno	...	Ritsuko (girl)
Tetta Sugimoto	...	Aki's Father
Katsutaka Furuhata	...	Johnny (high school)
Kenta Uchino	...	Classmate
Aki Nishihara	...	Classmate
Masaru Miyazaki	...	Classmate
Marie Kawaguchi	...	Classmate

Also Known As:

Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World (International: English title)
Crying Out Love, in the Centre of the World (Hong Kong: English title) (DVD title)
Shouting Love from the World's Center (International: English title) (informal literal title)

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:I | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG

Company:

Toho Company

Trivia:

Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu, a Japanese romance novel by Katayama Kyoichi, sold over 3 million copies in Japan alone.

Movie Connections:

References Roman Holiday (1953)

Soundtrack:

Hitomi wo Tojite

A Memorable Romance

As a rule, I avoid romance tales and this one was nearly no exception. I didn't see it in the theaters when it was out last year, even though friends recommended it. Just by chance, I rented the DVD. It is available in Japan with English subtitles. Now, after several days, I can't stop thinking about it.

Sakutaro is a man in his mid-thirties about to marry Ritsuko, a woman in her late twenties. While getting ready to move, Ritsuko encounters an old audio cassette tape she forgot she had. Though she knew what the tape was, she had never heard it. After locating a store that still sells audio cassette players, she listens to it for the first time. It takes her on a pilgrimage to her (and Sakutaro's) childhood home town. She leaves a message telling him that she's going away for a while.

By chance, Sakutaro learns where Ritsuko went and he goes there. He finds himself on a pilgrimage of his own.

I can't proceed much further, but it can be said that this is not a frivolous love story. I deals with the permanence of love in a most touching and original way. I really hope this film finds its way out of Japan. I gave this movie an eight out of ten.