All Around Us (2008)
"Gururi no koto" (original title)

In 1993 Kanao and Shoko are a Tokyo couple awaiting the arrival of their first child. Although both have studied art, Kanao works as a shoe repairman which doesn't stretch his rather ... See full summary »

Director:

Ryosuke Hashiguchi

Writers:

Ryosuke Hashiguchi (based upon the novel), Ryosuke Hashiguchi (screenplay)

Stars:

Lily Franky, Tae Kimura, Masaaki Akahori

7 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Lily Franky
Tae Kimura
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Masaaki Akahori
Tamae Ando
Hirofumi Arai
Mitsuko Baishô
Akira Emoto
Kôjun Itô
Eri Iwamoto
Ryo Kase
Reiko Kataoka
Akiko Kikuchi
Yûichi Kimura
Rie Minemura	...	Keiko ubukata
Ken Mitsuishi

Storyline

In 1993 Kanao and Shoko are a Tokyo couple awaiting the arrival of their first child. Although both have studied art, Kanao works as a shoe repairman which doesn't stretch his rather laid-back style and Shoko works in a small publishing firm. Their home life is marked by some clashes between her attempts at regimentation, including scheduling their sex life on a calendar, and his flirting with other women. Kanao is offered work as a courtroom sketch artist and becomes a witness to the most sensational murder trials of Japan through the next 8 years. He must cope with the ugliness and breakdown in civility he encounters. Shoko also re-discovers her artistic side as she confronts the dark side of life when struggling with depression over the loss of a child and the dysfunctional aspects of the lives of her mother and brother.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

7 June 2008 (Japan)

Also Known As:

All Around Us

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amuse Soft Entertainment, Bitters End, Eisei Gekijo

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

It came, it was good, but now it's gone.

I give this film a less than enthusiastic recommendation. It is a quality film and Lily Franky's performance is one to behold (even more so knowing this is his acting debut--I wonder how much he studied or trained). The film could have been more tightly edited. There are too many scenes of ... nothing. I understand this style is done too create an atmosphere and control a pace, and it's a style I generally like, but I think the director over did it. A little too often shots are *predictably* about nothing, slowing the pace without advancing or fleshing out the characters or story. They're just there to say ... "Nothing happens here", just like in real life. In the end, however, my only real criteria for not giving it higher marks is that I have no desire to watch it again. It came, it was good, but now it's gone.