Sophie and the Rising Sun

I first watched this film about a week ago. I watched it again last night because I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I broke down in tears at the ending on that first watch. And then I cried twice more that night just thinking about how impactful that resolution is. I think it's better to go in not knowing how it ends so that you feel the full weight of it. I don't mean to imply that it's a sad ending. It's more like a bittersweet suckerpunch that makes absolutely perfect sense. It also illustrates the true power of love and human connection, and how far we're willing to go when we find it.

Though the ending is likely to be the thing that sticks with you, the movie has so many other delights. Let's start with what drew me to it in the first place... the utterly luminous central performance by Julianne Nicholson as Sophie. Whether she's out "crabbing" in overalls, or dolled-up for an evening at the "picture show" with Miss Ann, Sophie is a magnetic, fascinating creature. How much of that was on the page, and how much is merely the result this gifted actress's presence, I can't say.

Based on the synopsis, you might be expecting a sad, lonely old spinster. That's not Sophie. No. Instead, she's a strong, fiercely independent, delightfully offbeat, daring woman. Gentle of spirit, sweet of soul, most of the townsfolk do dismiss her as someone in need of their protection. The town busybody, who was the best friend of Sophie's late mother, seems to think managing Sophie's life is her personal mission. Her constant snooping and interference drives most of the conflict in the story. And we are treated to flashbacks that reveal that Miss Ruth has been butting in and causing havoc ever since Sophie was a child. These flashbacks also reveal Sophie to be one of those rare humans with nothing but boundless love in her heart. Unfortunately, by the time we meet her, the social constructs of the era and place she was born into have beaten a lot of it out of her.

When a beaten, barely coherent young Japanese man, Mr. Grover Ohta is dumped on a park bench in her small coastal South Carolina town, little does Sophie know the stranger is about to change her life.

I don't want to give away a whole lot because I think you'll enjoy the movie much more, the less you know. I will say that the cinematography is gorgeous, the score is unobtrusive, and all of the acting is uniformly outstanding. Kudos to whoever found Takashi Yamaguchi and brought him on board. He's just perfect. Margo Martindale is as wonderful as always.

One thing I do want to mention is how glorious the love scenes are. They're so heartfelt and well-earned they brought tears to me eyes on that first watch. I can't remember the last time I had such a strong reaction.

See this movie. Then share it with like-minded friends. You will probably need someone to talk to and/or cry with when it's over.

This movie was a winner for me. I enjoy true to life stories. I knew it was a winner within the first 10 minutes. Gripping, tantalizing and oh.... so romantic. The characters kept my attention. The emotion they emit is so sweet. The story is interesting and held my attention. I wanted more and did not want to stop watching it. So happy to share. I don't find many movies that are 10 stars for me and hope you enjoy it also. This is for true romantics.

Great story and acting. Time accurate. A real enjoyable film.

This was a sweet love story, although it left me longing for more background, clarification and character development. The flashbacks were not enough. Why does Sophie live alone? What happened to her parents? How old was she? Answers to these questions would have made her character much more interesting. Would have loved to know more about Mr. Ota and his family background as well, besides the fact that they grew apples! I think this story could have been so much richer had the screenwriter delved deeper into these characters' lives. The movie was touching and interesting and the chemistry between Ota and Sophie was good. But the whole film seemed too superficial. It did touch accurately on the attitude of Americans toward the Japanese Americans during WW2. However, I think in typical Hollywood fashion, it put people of faith in an unfair and negative light. Not all southern churchgoers were cruel toward minorities, but it did happen. I think my favorite character was the maid. She had a confident pride, but also could feel empathy toward Mr. Ota as a black woman in the south. She knew what it was like to be outcast for her skin color. It was such a poignant moment in the film when is the one to wash off the words "dirty Jap" from the wall. She knew his pain.

This movie was a lovely story but I feel it could have been so much more had we really known the characters and what their backstories were.

To explain my title, Sophie and the rising sun has everything except shooting, explosions, and car chases. It is a devastating picture of racism. It is a love story beyond compare. It is wonderfully filmed. Nicholson as Sophie is luminous. Martindale as Ann is faultless. Toussaint as Salome is simply amazing. The Japanese gentleman is outstanding. See this movie if you can. It's a solid ten for a viewer who loves good drama, who is maybe tired of cheap thrills. I watched it for free on Prime, and I'll watch it again tomorrow.