Yuuko has been raised by her grandmother in the countryside while her father and siblings live in Tokyo. Shortly after graduating high-school, she is told the reason for this unusual arrangement. And when she finally moves in with her family, she has to sleep under the stairs like Harry Potter, and work in the house as a maid.
At this point, I thought I knew how the story would play out, but that was premature. What follows is a fast-paced, lively, and sometimes surprising story. The actors are doing a 90 min speed-run through various settings, packed with people and items. The music is prominent with at least two full jazz songs performed. It feels much more American than any other Japanese movie I have seen. Or maybe it is a light critique of the American influence?
A driving force is the wholesome heroine Yuuko (Wakao Ayako). While she has a submissive side, she has her own will and agency, taking actions to derail the plot. Add to this that she also looks strong and healthy. All in all an awesome protagonist.
The large cast contains many likeable characters, who contribute to the encouraging mood, and sometimes make their own moves. The step-mother is not too much of a caricature, and has a clear and understandable reason to hate Yuuko.
The main plot is not very interesting or deep. What is interesting is the individual scenes. What would seem cliché on paper is given energy by the fire in Yuuko's eyes.
Most scenes have a twist in the form of something happening in the background, a weird side character, the enourmous telephones, or just the overwhelming number of people crowding the small spaces.
All lines are not delivered perfectly, but with so many people chatting, dropping pop-cultural refences, or quoting philosophers, there is no time to dwell on imperfections.
There are not many jokes, and there is a bit of conflict and tragedy, but the overall mood is comedy. It will surely increase the happiness in your life.
