Zokki

The problem with manga adaptations is they result in cinema that is manga-esque. There is some gentle comedy here, and some touching scenes, and the seamless (for the most part) way the stories are woven together is quite clever. But the characters are mostly one or two note, and we never really get to know anything about their internal lives. Ryuhei Matsuda's character is frustratingly enigmatic. He joins Jun Kunimura's work crew for no real reason, and they turn out to be a bunch of grown men behaving like bickering infants. There are some panty and poop jokes so beloved of local TV comedy, but that went out with Benny Hill overseas. Given the wealth of acting talent here, both on screen and with the three directors, this strikes one as a project that was probably more fun to make than to watch.