Cinema doesn't get much better than this. Adapted from the successful 1996 play by Koki Mitani, Warai no Daigaku (University of Laughs) directed by Mamoru Hoshi was an audience hit at its premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival. It's not hard to see why.
Set in pre-WW2 Japan, the story focuses on a young playwright's attempt to get his comedy script approved by a deeply humourless government censor. As the two men work with and against each other, the script changes and evolves - with unexpected results.
The film is essentially a two-hander (the director has done little to disguise that this was initially a stage play) and the two leads are brilliantly played by Koji Yakusho (Shall We Dansu?) as the censor and Goro Inagaki as the jittery writer.
It is said that there is a fine line between comedy and tragedy. This film treads that line with a light step. The result is a near perfect film that is funny yet also poignant, touching and genuinely moving. Let's hope Hollywood doesn't decide to remake it.
Set in pre-WW2 Japan, the story focuses on a young playwright's attempt to get his comedy script approved by a deeply humourless government censor. As the two men work with and against each other, the script changes and evolves - with unexpected results.
The film is essentially a two-hander (the director has done little to disguise that this was initially a stage play) and the two leads are brilliantly played by Koji Yakusho (Shall We Dansu?) as the censor and Goro Inagaki as the jittery writer.
It is said that there is a fine line between comedy and tragedy. This film treads that line with a light step. The result is a near perfect film that is funny yet also poignant, touching and genuinely moving. Let's hope Hollywood doesn't decide to remake it.