The lives of an American expat and a half Japanese construction worker living in rural Japan are forever changed over the course of three days as they engage in an unexpected romance.The lives of an American expat and a half Japanese construction worker living in rural Japan are forever changed over the course of three days as they engage in an unexpected romance.The lives of an American expat and a half Japanese construction worker living in rural Japan are forever changed over the course of three days as they engage in an unexpected romance.
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Anya Floris
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Featured reviews
10alexit-3
This film took me back in time, as I've experienced similar situations to what it portrays. The two actors played their roles very well, moving the viewer. The ending wasn't predictable, and in fact it was moving. Definitely worth watching again.
And yes, i love Japan and hope one day visit the country!
And yes, i love Japan and hope one day visit the country!
It was amazing and what a beautiful setting and story. I've wanted to visit Japan in the past but it made me fall in love more.
The story of Luke and Ken is beautiful and they make such an cute and powerful couple, a true example that two people can change the course of their futures.
The Christophers are so compelling and heartfelt. They make it so easy to follow the story and journey of Luke and Ken.
The setting in Japan compliments the love story and family stories lines so well and bridges two cultures in one bucolic masterpiece of a country.
Definitely recommend this to everyone an hour and a half well spent.
The story of Luke and Ken is beautiful and they make such an cute and powerful couple, a true example that two people can change the course of their futures.
The Christophers are so compelling and heartfelt. They make it so easy to follow the story and journey of Luke and Ken.
The setting in Japan compliments the love story and family stories lines so well and bridges two cultures in one bucolic masterpiece of a country.
Definitely recommend this to everyone an hour and a half well spent.
I struggled to get through this film and finally gave up about 70 minutes in.
This entire film is apparently a showcase for the (American) lead actor's Japanese speaking ability. As a story, it is predictable and laughable and not really that interesting.
There is a lot of unnecessary dialogue, there are over-the-top screaming scenes (which are de rigueur for Japanese films, even, apparently, ones featuring foreign leads), there are tired tropes (English teachers in Japan), and there are huge miscalculations by the writer/star, mainly about why anyone would care that he can speak Japanese as well as he does.
The entire onsen scene came across as totally unbelievable and bizarre and fake.
The lead actor does tons of mugging and has apparently learned every single Japanese facial expression or reaction, since he has very few of his own.
His character is not developed at all, and as such, I could not care what happens to him.
The Japanese actors all fare better, and the lead Japanese "half" actor is legitimately hot and sexy and has potential in the right story (not this one).
There was tons of unnecessary (and incorrectly chosen) music with singing, played over scenes where the actors were talking -- and yet, how could we understand what they were saying when they were being drowned out by background music?
The two star rating is for the hot Japanese male lead, who gives us a hint of what paradise might be like in the onsen, but it is nearly totally destroyed by the virginal worry-wart first-time-ever in an onsen foreigner who acts like a scared girl on her first date.
I have lived in Japan for a long time and I understand a lot of what was going on, and the idea that we are supposed to care about anyone in this film is one that apparently never occurred to the writer/star, since he spent his entire time on screen being obvious about everything he said and did, all without a soupçon of subtlety.
This entire film is apparently a showcase for the (American) lead actor's Japanese speaking ability. As a story, it is predictable and laughable and not really that interesting.
There is a lot of unnecessary dialogue, there are over-the-top screaming scenes (which are de rigueur for Japanese films, even, apparently, ones featuring foreign leads), there are tired tropes (English teachers in Japan), and there are huge miscalculations by the writer/star, mainly about why anyone would care that he can speak Japanese as well as he does.
The entire onsen scene came across as totally unbelievable and bizarre and fake.
The lead actor does tons of mugging and has apparently learned every single Japanese facial expression or reaction, since he has very few of his own.
His character is not developed at all, and as such, I could not care what happens to him.
The Japanese actors all fare better, and the lead Japanese "half" actor is legitimately hot and sexy and has potential in the right story (not this one).
There was tons of unnecessary (and incorrectly chosen) music with singing, played over scenes where the actors were talking -- and yet, how could we understand what they were saying when they were being drowned out by background music?
The two star rating is for the hot Japanese male lead, who gives us a hint of what paradise might be like in the onsen, but it is nearly totally destroyed by the virginal worry-wart first-time-ever in an onsen foreigner who acts like a scared girl on her first date.
I have lived in Japan for a long time and I understand a lot of what was going on, and the idea that we are supposed to care about anyone in this film is one that apparently never occurred to the writer/star, since he spent his entire time on screen being obvious about everything he said and did, all without a soupçon of subtlety.
10SamuL-5
I've been watching this movie often since I discovered it, and every time it moves me as if it were the first time! I usually love movies where the main message is clear from the start, but in this case, there's the surprise that love can do anything! Ken is a boy shaped by the bitterness of life. Without emotions, he suffers because he can't express them and doesn't know what he wants from his life. Then Luke, with his simplicity, wins Ken's heart. This movie is a succession of emotions, but it's not boring because at times it's funny! A beautiful movie! I highly recommend it! The actors are magnificent!
In 2023, I participated in the crowd funding for this and Max Emerson's novel. I was a bit worried because it felt like there was a long wait between the end of the campaign and the release of the movie. They apparently sent out an email with download codes for the movie in 2024 for people who purchased it from the crowd funding and I must have missed it.
I was really happy to see the finished movie and I'm glad to say it was worth the wait. They said that they were mainly using the money from the crowd funding to help with post production and it really shows. The music they got for the movie is really good and I was surprised to find that most of the songs are original.
Originality really is what makes this movie special. There's so many things that are different about this movie, it's hard to write it all with out giving a lot of the movie away. They way they play with language, the setting, the flow of the characters all felt really fresh and made you want to see more of it. Also, as a mom I really liked the way moms were portrayed in this movie.
I hope there's another movie or something else. Aichaku ends in a way that all of the questions are answered, but the characters are all moving on to new things. You want to see how that works out.
I was really happy to see the finished movie and I'm glad to say it was worth the wait. They said that they were mainly using the money from the crowd funding to help with post production and it really shows. The music they got for the movie is really good and I was surprised to find that most of the songs are original.
Originality really is what makes this movie special. There's so many things that are different about this movie, it's hard to write it all with out giving a lot of the movie away. They way they play with language, the setting, the flow of the characters all felt really fresh and made you want to see more of it. Also, as a mom I really liked the way moms were portrayed in this movie.
I hope there's another movie or something else. Aichaku ends in a way that all of the questions are answered, but the characters are all moving on to new things. You want to see how that works out.
Did you know
- TriviaChristopher McCombs wrote the part of Ken specifically for Christopher Nishizawa.
- SoundtracksMary Lou
Written by First Day Lions
Performed by First Day Lions
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- 愛着
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- ¥5,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 58 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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