Emotional LGBTQ+ Coming-of-Age Story
"I felt like a guest at a cult meeting"Based on a web novel which was already adapted into a drama, "What She Likes..." is an emotional LGBTQ+ coming-of-age story about Jun, a closeted high school student struggling with his homosexuality, and Sae a BL manga obsessed classmate that develops feelings for him.
I'm a bit torn about this one. Overall, I did enjoy it and thought it was a touching story with beautiful cinematography and some heart-wrenching moments. My main issues were how unrealistically they resolved some of the conflicts they were dealing with. The way they brushed over some characters and themes lessened the impact for me. Moreover, they should have focused more on Jun as the main lead. One could argue this was about Jun and Sae which is true to a certain extent and there were aspects I really liked about these two. However, considering that this, at its core, is a queer story, I would have preferred a louder voice from the queer character instead of the BL loving classmate.
In conclusion, this was an intriguing movie that while it does have its flaws still managed to move me. I quickly have to mention Kamio Fuju's performance as Jun. I genuinely feel he's a talented guy, who's nuanced portrayal of Jun stood out to me the most.
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emotionally moving performance from a fine actor ,Kamio Fuju
I saw this film in London on 28 05 2022. Introduced on screen by the director Shogo Kusano.His intro was interesting , comparing audiences to Japan and UK and wondered himself, given the cultural differences , how
UK would view this.
Firstly, I have to congratulate Shogo Kusano on an excellent film , which I could relate to and your choice in casting
Kamio Fuju as Jun was perfect. His serious acting can be quite powerful and believable .
I have to say, despite the obvious culture difference you would expect, I found a lot of similar traits when I was in Japan to an old England i used to know. I could list them but would be digressing from this review. ( so maybe not so different in many ways) There is a hospital scene that i found very moving in which Jun summarises his young life............
I have thought about it a long time since watching the film.
i hope young audiences watch this and empathise with the struggles of young gay life as well as enjoying an entertaining
and thought provoking subject matter.
I think Audiences who don,t mind sub titles here in Uk , would appreciate this excellent film.
(sorry but I dont remember any music for rating )
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A good story with realistic depiction of being gay in Japan
My favorite thing about this movie is the fact that it's got barely any censorship. I have seen many works trying to imply different gay relationships in the plot without actually showing it even once, but this one's different. Everything, from illegal physical relationship to stupid homophobic comments, is depicted as it is.Moreover, the characters' stories (and I want to specifically emphasize the MC's lover) are extremely accurate and sound like something totally happening somewhere in Japan (I live here so I know what I'm talking about). I actually find the movie a good piece of educational material on Japanese society and how LGBTQ+ fit in it.
The story is also very touching, you feel genuine satisfaction and peace after watching. The visuals are also quite above average. Not a masterpiece, but extremely enjoyable.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Touch to Coming Out Gay
"Every knot got untied"STORY
It started simple in a school. A guy bumped to a girl bought a BL merch. She was afraid of him leaking out her tight-kept secret. Henceforth, she asked him out to accompany her buying other merch on Sunday. Unexpectedly she fell for him. After weeks struggling she finally confessed to him. Their feelings were mutual. Thus, she marked her Double Peace signature.
After sometime they tried to make it out in his home. They failed. The girl started to introspect her shortcomings. Was it her chest? So she drank milks. (like it would matter@.@) Was it her hair or her make-ups? Little did she know when she called his name, he remembered his "seme" called out to him. Therefore he couldn't erect it.
The next encounter was happened in town-onsen, perhaps like Japanese modern spa. His seme kissed him, she threw a water baloon to their lips. This was the first knot, Makoto the "seme" shouldn't done this knowing he would got caught by his wife orJun's girlfriend. The worse response was blurt out by Jun, "Does it matter?" answering Sae's query.
Next day they meet-up at backroom of the class. Jun clarified his true feelings. Sae didn't know whether she should break him up. Unfortunately the second knot coming when Ono, their classmate purposely listened to them. And scream it out loud in the gym full of what-not. (Are you for real?)
Of course the hell is coming up to Jun the next day with the whole school knowing his. He misunderstood Sae leaking his truth and rebuked her. That day Ryohei, his childhood friend, reminisce about watermelon promise they made. Back in class prepping for PE, busy body Ono evicting Jun feared for his body drooled over. Eventually, Jun jumped over the window after saying, "We'll meet again after 100 watermelons grow" to Ryohei. Luckily it was only second floor. So bruises and broken limbs were guaranteed not life-threatening act I suppose.
In hospital, Sae asked Jun to come for the last time to watch her awarding of her painting. She won city-wide high school accolade. He come albeit late to avoid gaze and sneer. Her speech was her coming out being her as "fujoshi". It was a heart-wrenching speech. I myself dotted tears. In this the second knot got untied when Ono aware of his mistake and cried over a ramen cup. They got along well afterwards. Jun didn't hold grudge against him.
The first knot was untied when Jun decided to break-up with Makoto. It was well deserved ending for him having family and such. The last fragment was Jun visiting his deceased online friend. And, ultimately the big knot is untied. when Sae decided to break him up seeing him going to Osaka.
After credit we finally can see her prize-winning painting. "Hatsukoi".
ACTING
Yamada Anne did it again. Her performance was top notch. The Male Lead felt like woods sometimes, but maybe that is due to her role as "Uke" to be timid. The supporting characters are adequate, none standout of their performances. Except maybe for
Maeda Oshiro. His light-hearted childhood friend role helped lighted out the dim ML performance.
MUSIC
I do not remember nor heard any music worth mentioning here. They talked about Queen, but did they really played it there?
REWATCH
Easily re-watchable just for the cinematography. I like the transitions and subtle nuances they brought it out. e.g: From the Sea World's aquarium to home aquarium, The sunset billboard on the final scene.
ps: I didn't watch the drama so I have none to compare. I just see as what it was.
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This review may contain spoilers
Better than the drama adaptation
As someone who has watched the 2019 drama adaptation of this story I immediately recognized the premise upon the first few minutes. Whereas the drama had more time to really go into depth with it all, the movie actually did a better job in clarifying the emotions of all the characters and wrapping the story up properly despite the time crunch.Whereas the drama had me believing that in the end he remained in denial of his sexuality, the movie made sure to point out the nuance of his struggle with himself AS WELL as the conclusion that he comes to with himself by the end. Mind you i watched the drama with subs and the movie without yet the ending was so much clearer and easier to understand in the movie.
What I did miss in this movie was the references to Queen and how their music really drove and accompanied the protagonist throughout this story. Which doesnt change much but has been a touch in the drama I enjoyed and would have loved to see more of here.
I havent really looked at what others said about the suicide attempt in the last act but I think it's an interesting choice. On one hand it underlines how alienated Jun felt even by himself, how he wished to escape so much that it only took that one last trigger to push him over the edge. On the other hand it is a jarring reminder that your words will always have consequences, which sometimes is needed to be shown in such a shocking way to leave an impression. I m glad though that they chose to have him recover from this as I am TIRED of the "killing your gays" trope. Let people be happy and luckily, he was.
One thing that equally upsets me about both adaptations (and possibly also the source material which i have not read) is the fact that the grown man just got away with everything. Japanese media, possibly also their society as a whole, does not seem to have much interest in seeing the grossness of big age gap romances between adults and teens which i find revolting and hate to watch. That is a middle aged man who took advantage of an inexperienced high school student who struggled with his identity and none of it was addressed as such at all. Yes, he eventually broke up with him but the movie made no point to point out the creepiness of it all as instead they chose to focused on him having a family. Even if we were to only focus on that aspect as well, not even his cheating had consequences other than losing his teen lover (gag). I know from research that it was and is very common for queer people esp. in Japan to marry the opposite sex and hide who they are to live a more peaceful life but I think it could have been tackled a bit better.
That last chunk is the main reason why this story regardless of adaptation will never get a high rating from me. It was still a compelling watch though especially as someone who is queer as well.
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This review may contain spoilers
Maybe God is a fujoshi?
What can you do to improve upon a perfection? Make it just as perfect but shorter!Even if I still do not understand why they'd go and make a movie only two years after that amazing drama (Fujoshi, Ukari...) was released, at least they did not ruin it!
What She Likes... is a beautiful coming of age drama dealing with one's own sexuality and the acceptance thereof. What it is not is a BL! It is a LGBT movie. It deals with trials and tribulations of a young man who knows himself to be gay but he is aware the society is not that tolerant or willing to accept people who do not fit the preconceived and deeply rooted idea of what is "normal". So he tries to fit the mould and fails brilliantly. The backlash of a forced outing is huge.
Jun is an 18 yr old aware of his own sexuality but struggling to accept it himself. He is seeing an older married man and deep down wants to have what his boyfriend has: a wife and kids. So he starts dating a girl who is a huge bl fan, a fujoshi and who is hiding that because she was told once she was disgusting for liking bls. Jun somehow feels the same about himself so he does not say anything to his friends or his mother believing they'd find him just as disgusting.
Jun's questioning of himself is portrayed very realistically. I found the school class discussion very true: kids were just saying things they think adults want to hear, open minded and politically correct, accepting differences without prejudices. Until the kid who caused all the mayhem by outing Jun, calls them on it and is quickly made to shut up. This scene shows how the society in general does not want to talk seriously about hard subjects and prefers hiding them under the carpet.
The friends, Jun's close friends, are the only ones treating him as an ordinary kid when he was outed while everyone else looked at him like an exotic beast in a circus. And even though the world is getting to be more and more open and accepting all differences on the surface, deep down the problem remains as is shown in two examples in the movie: a gay kid whose parents took him to see a doctor and a closeted gay student who does not want to be seen with Jun.
The only scene I did not like, both here and in the drama, was when Miura "came out" as fujoshi in front of the school assembly. I found it so wrong on so many level but mainly it is not the same thing not it has the same consequences being a fujoshi and being gay!
The story is poignant, true and the actors are all excellent. It is a must watch!
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