Great acting, smooth script and directing in an amazing single shot of 100 minutes. You really have to see it to believe it.
After attending a funeral in Matsumoto, a family is stranded at the small town airport from flying back to Tokyo because of bad weather.
Each of the six members of the family has a story to tell and they are effortlessly introduced by airline ground staff played by Takeuchi Yuko.
Takeuchi literally leads the whole film smoothly throughout. On the surface, she is providing services to the family. But like a voyeur, she takes us along as she peeps into the family and interferes when her conscientious strikes her. Along the way, some domestic and social problems are revealed which are nicely intertwined among different family members. These hiccups are perfectly knitted into an organized and hilarious script written and meticulously directed by Koki Mitani in one single shot – even though the scenes include indoor, outdoors and different levels inside the airport terminal. What a master piece in directing, script and acting.
All the actors are excellent and shine in their roles when they take turns to tell their story, or to be exact, revealing their secret. Special attention goes to Teruyuki Kagawa who plays the father, Sayaka Aoki who plays the mother and Toshiki Ayata who plays the grandfather. Just a wink, a glance or a turn of the head convey so much emotions. Even the messy hair tells a story. It is also amazing that there are so much secrets in this family and yet life goes on either knowing or hiding these secrets. Great art direction and attention to details.
Similar to their flight back to Tokyo, life goes on after some minor disruption. In the end, everyone gets what they want out of good intention or bargaining. Excellent comedy with a message that make you feel warm and relieved. I would not mind watching it again and again.
