User reviews

I was reluctant to watch this movie due to its length but when I finally watched I was nicely surprised. The idea is a good one and some stories were interesting and moving, although there were parts uncomfortable to watch tbh. I was surprised by the final story, I must admit it was unexpected. At the end, I enjoyed the film but I think that if they made it shorter, the movie would be more memorable.

Pros: Quirky, unusual, fun, well written, and well acted. Cons: Extremely long (3hrs 15mins), unsatisfying ending.

The first hour is wonderful, unpredictable and fun to watch; it's a shame the makers couldn't carry the momentum through the remaining 2 hours. While the first hour is clearly off-beat comedy, the remaining 2 hours tend to spiral downward into a somewhat depressing mess that you hope will turn around into what made the beginning so enjoyable. But it never does. There are times when movie endings that leave you wondering add to the overall mystery and intrigue of the film, but sadly this one did not. It left me wishing they had cropped one-half of the movie out, and worked harder on wrapping things up. The first films I'd seen starring Sakura Ando, Shoplifters and 100 Yen Love, were simply great films, and I was deeply impressed with her acting ability. Next on my list, Love Exposure. There are many enjoyable moments in 0.5 miri, so it shouldn't be ignored, but it seems there are much better choices that won't tie you down for an overlong period of time.

One of the most striking things about the novel and anime film 'I want to eat your pancreas' is the way that Sakura cheerfully inserted herself into the protagonist's life, practically forcing him into being her friend. For as curious as this feature is as it begins, and for plainly quirky as it is as the length progresses, much the same swiftly seems to be true of protagonist Sawa and the elderly people she meets: earnestly helping them with her empathy and skills as a caregiver, but also invariably benefiting from whatever hospitality comes in turn, whether they offer it or she takes it. The tenor of '0.5 mm' begins to crystallize within the first hour, and I'd be plainly lying if I said it wasn't charming in its offbeat yet warmhearted sensibilities. The runtime of over three hours is daunting, yet the picture is oh so smartly crafted, and it's honestly better than I could have hoped it would be. It won't appeal to all comers, but I think it would be a sore mistake to pass this up if one has the opportunity to watch.

More substantial drama rears its head periodically with whatever matters trouble Sawa, and her acquaintances, yet by and large the tone here is gentle and pleasant, if also a tad eccentric. I can't speak to the source material as filmmaker Ando Momoko writes and directs, adapting her own novel, but I can only presume the movie faithfully follows from the book, and it is frankly a treasure. Ando gives us a low-key brilliant tableau of directionless Sawa finding direction by coming to the aid of lonely, unfortunate seniors, whether they like it or not, and in the process her needs and theirs are met beyond what either could have anticipated. Plot development is casual and sometimes all but lackadaisical, but the story is sincere, compelling, and absorbing as Sawa stumbles forward and changes lives. The characterizations are unexpectedly smart, well-rounded, and wholehearted, rather suggesting Ando's own intimate personal experiences with people, and much the same could be said of the dialogue among scene writing that's unfailingly rich and vibrant.

Actually, the longer '0.5 mm' goes on, the more it comes across that for as outwardly simple and uncomplicated as it may seem, there was heart and care poured into it that most titles can only dream of. The writing is a marvel, and Ando's direction no less so, even for as little experience as she has apparently had in film-making. Even as the tone varies slightly, from one moment to the next the comedy-drama is at once remarkably soft, sweet, and endearing in its storytelling - a vibe resolutely maintained through Ando's vision - and precise but measured, and meticulous but natural, in how the material is realized. Sawa's tireless determination and insistent compassion, honest and cheerful but mindful and calculated, carry the stalwart airs of being firm and unyielding yet pliant, and as the narrative smoothly flows onward the same verbiage could be applied to the direction and the flick overall. To my great pleasure, this extends just as well to to the acting, and I can't overstate what a joy the cast is. Dexterously navigating the amorphous spaces between lighthearted candor and the more "difficult" underlying themes and ideas, everyone involved gives an outstanding performance of impeccable range, nuance, emotional depth, personality, and indeed physicality; the characters feel achingly real, believable, relatable, and sympathetic. No matter how big or small their parts Tsugawa Masahiko, Kusabue Mitsuko, Sakata Toshio, Tsunogae Kazue, and others lend stupendous vitality to the proceedings, to say nothing of star Ando Sakura, whose portrayal of Sawa is a steady, deeply gratifying anchor at all times.

Meanwhile, for as truly enchanting as '0.5 mm' is in all the most important capacities - almost poetic in its exploration of human connection, and the less visible hardships that we can overcome together - the otherwise craftsmanship of the movie is no less superb. Not only is Ando's direction impeccable by way of realizing the saga with exquisite intelligence, but she illustrates the keen eye of an artist in orchestrating shots and scenes, making this easy on the eyes as we sit through its considerable length. This is surely a credit as well to cinematographer Haibara Takahiro, whose crisp, vivid, and quietly dynamic contribution is just as fetching in capturing every detail for us to see. These include a veritable minor tour around Kochi Prefecture, where this was filmed, giving us eyefuls of the lovely region, and the terrific production design and art direction that infuse an affable sense of homelike comfort into the tableau. The costume design, hair, and makeup are splendid; TaQ's music is sparing and light but an excellent complement where it does tickle our ears; even the lighting is notably shrewd. One surprising result of all this is that 197 minutes seem to pass much more quickly than one would assume, but all the while the viewing experience is sublime.

At the outset I found myself pondering how Ando could possibly draw out the scenario into a film of such a runtime, but the fact is that the shining spirit of humanity seen in Sawa and her acquaintances makes for something more engrossing than I could have ever assumed. I'll grant that there are times when the narrative is a little less sure-footed, such as a long scene between Sawa and Makabe Yoshio right as we head into the last hour. To that point, the last approximate third is surely rockier than the preceding length as there's a distinct tonal shift into far more severely dramatic territory, and the storytelling is less focused. Even at that, however, the last portion is still part and parcel of what Ando had been doing all along, and if it breaks with the dominant approach to temporarily be more acutely potent, I can appreciate what the filmmaker was doing. All told the picture may fall just shy of being perfect, yet for the level on which it operates, the disparity is functionally meaningless. I sat to watch with no foreknowledge or expectations, and I'm all but blown away but how wonderful this is. Tender, heartwarming, and rewarding, as far as I'm concerned '0.5 mm' is an underappreciated gem, and I'd have no qualms in suggesting it to just about anyone. Between the overall muted nature of the feature and its length this isn't something one can approach lightly, but it's well worth checking out if one has the chance, and I'm happy go give '0.5 mm' my very high and hearty recommendation!

I had never heard about the 2014 drama "0.5 Miri" (aka "0.5 mm") prior to sitting down here in 2022 to watch it. I was given the chance to watch it, and of course I did so, because this was a Japanese movie that I hadn't already seen.

Now, I wasn't familiar with the movie running for 3 hours and 18 minutes, which was quite a killer. And to add insult to injury, then the narrative in the story is paced at an unbearably slow pace. It was so difficult to sit through the movie, and trust me, then 197 minutes becomes quite an ordeal to conquer.

The acting performances in "0.5 Miri" were adequate, but keep in mind that nothing much of any great entertainment or excitement happens throughout the mind-numbingly slow narrative.

This movie came and went without leaving a lasting impression on me, and truth be told then I wasn't even properly entertained by the movie. It was simply too slow and too mundane. So writer and director Momoko Andô failed to dish out something watchable here, if you ask me.

My rating of "0.5 Miri" lands on a generous three out of ten stars. Good luck staying awake throughout the 197 minutes.