The Real Thing – Honki no shirushi: Gekijôban (2020)

Directed by: Koji Fukada | 232 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Win Morisaki, Kaho Tsuchimura, Shôhei Uno, Kei Ishibashi, Akari Fukunaga, Kentez Asaka, Yukiya Kitamura, Shûgo Oshinari

In ‘The Real Thing’ we follow Tsuji Kazumichi (Win Morisaki), a listless salesman at a drab toy company. Tsuji leads an unexcited life. His days are marked by general discontent, constantly getting in his way and finding ways to ruin the lives of his two female colleagues (with whom he also shares the bed). One day, he accidentally meets Ukiyo (Kaho Tsuchimura) in a local supermarket, and the two start talking. When her car comes to a stop at a level crossing a few minutes later, Tsuji pushes him to safety just in time, entwining their lives. Something blossoms between the two. But as so often with unexpected encounters, things aren’t as obvious as they seem at first glance.

The romantic comedy ‘The Real Thing’ originally aired in Japan as a 10-episode series on Nagoya TV. Now the series has been converted to movie format, resulting in a 232 minute viewing experience. Director Koji Fukada doesn’t care; he has taken an ambitious approach with his latest project. ‘The Real Thing’ initially comes across as an average romantic comedy, but gradually develops into a film about trauma processing, social isolation and pressure to perform. Fukada skillfully juggles these subjects, while also placing a heavy emphasis on comedy. The fact that he never manages to make his film feel unbalanced because of this mixture is a testament to his talent.

One downside of ‘The Real Thing’, however, is the fact that certain plot points are repeated a little too often. When Tsuji and Ukiyo are running through the streets of Japan again, or are confronted for the umpteenth time by the cronies of Yakuza boss Shin’ichi Wakita (Yukiya Kitamura), things start to get a bit monotonous. Moreover, because of the original series format, these perils have little time to stand on their own. That’s a shame, because the core of the film – the blossoming bond between Tsuji and Ukiyo – works extremely well.

‘The Real Thing’ is a film that will appeal to a fairly large audience. On the one hand, the film has a huge dose of romance, on the other hand, it also has a good amount of comedy. There is drama present, but never so much that the film threatens to drown in gloom. Ultimately, ‘The Real Thing’ is a pleasant film, which, with a running time of almost four hours, is just a bit too long. For anyone interested in the film, it is recommended to watch it in parts.