While Lu Tian Xing was pretending to be Xiao Lu and both parts of him were falling in love with Tao Le Si, the show was full of cute and entertaining romantic comedy moments. But soon it became full of weepy, pity-party moments and those were less enjoyable. The biggest problem, however, was the aftermath of the reveal. They just couldn't figure out how something like a fake identity would end so they did a 180 into melodrama land and the only real evidence of that half of the show was the opening. With the shortened length, the ending felt rushed and there were small plot lines that got dropped.
For what they were given, I enjoyed the cast. Aaron Yan was good at the dual role and even into the later episodes. I did prefer some of the minor cast- Butler Fu was the best part of the show in the beginning and I was sad that his role diminished so much. Out of the supporting cast, I liked Miao Miao and Ting Wei. I kind of hated Gai Xian mostly because he came off as a creepy stalker. Personally, I think the standout in this show was Beatrice Fang as Huan Huan. Huan Huan was awful but she was supposed to be. The slow personality shift was really good.
I liked the music in the show, specifically the opening theme.
I just don't think I would watch Fall in Love With Me again. While I enjoyed the beginning of the show, nothing stood out as a scene I'd want to go back and rewatch.
Unfortunately, this show lost it's way. The first half and the second half didn't mesh well, making it feel like two completely different shows shoved together. It's sad because I liked it at first and then didn't like it so much anymore.
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Lee Sun-kyun plays Park Dong-hoon, a numb middle-aged engineer in a tired marriage who finds himself entangled with Lee Ji-an, a very young, almost unsocialised woman played with an extraordinary subtlety and quiet intensity by IU. Ji-an has been tasked to help get rid of Dong-hoon by the CEO of his company, Do Joon-young (Park Young-min) who is having an affair with Dong-hoon's wife. Ji-an wiretaps Dong-hoon's phone and finds herself identifying with his unhappiness, even as she is drawn to his inherent kindness.
Surrounded by a cast of unhappy and dissatisfied people, this is a show about middle age and about failure but in the end about how our lives are enriched by kindness and community. Ji-an is a damaged young woman who has endured almost unimaginable tragedy but through her relationship with Dong-hoon they are both able to heal and to finally pursue happiness.
The performances of the entire cast are extraordinary but it's the sparse script, off-kilter cinematography and haunting pensive OST that give the show a sensibility that's hypnotic, almost mesmerising. It’s melancholic and a little weird – but in the kind of way that people are a little weird. It’s grim and there’s very little joy in it but the tone and lack of joy is presented in a way that makes it analogous to the disappointments and mindless drudgery of middle-age.
But beyond the themes of failure and the cold darkness of winter as a metaphor for dissatisfaction, this is a show about the triumph of kindness. Portrayed so often as a weakness, it is instead Dong-hoon's kindness that is his greatest strength. It is kindness, community and love that is celebrated and through that celebration this show finds a beauty that transcends mere television.
It is, for now, the best show of 2018.
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Johan North supremacy
To tell you the truth I'm an all time fan of romantic comedy and this series is exactly the same.I dropped the series from the first episode- not because it is boring but it felt a little slow- not to mention whenever there is Earth ( sry I love Earth but his part is always a little slow. only in the 1st 2 episodes. And nothing happens in their storyline either... They are already in love from start to finish) but believe me, you have to watch at double speed just 2- 3 episode and you will enter the world of romantic comedy. Guys it's totally worth it! 17 ep were not enough, I want something eternal!
From now on, Johan is my all-time favorite. His aura, secret smile, possessiveness- I was barely breathing when he put the seatbelt on North.
They have the intimacy chemistry biology and everything, even when they are just looking at each other. Like what ter said, I'm also a shipper for both of them.
I love how jo didn't even get angry at North, even when he knew north was lying to him (He is a mix of red and green flags- I love him). He is completely and madly in love with North. Johan is the standard. His character development and backstory will stay with us forever.
At first, I watched it for hill and ter, but Johan and North surpassed everyone, and they have all my heart. I had zero expectations, but it turned out to be one of my favorites. You have to watch first to understand the feeling-ITS TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Not to mention the director; he has done such a great job and he is also the director of Perfect 10 Liners. Now he's controlling the romantic comedy genre in his hands. Both are now my favourites.
The love for Johan is beyond words for so many fans, including me. We will always support you, whether you're seen as a green or red flag. But from the moon, we can tell you're a lush green forest in North's life. Thank you for loving our cutie pie.
The only downside is in the editing or screenwriting—I’m not sure—but there seems to be some miscommunication in the middle part of the series. Apart from that, it’s the best light-hearted fun series.
OMG!! Guys they announced SEASON 2.
P.s. If you only want to watch johannorth, start from the 5th/6th ep. But I'd recommend watching from the start to understand the friendship btwn the characters.
And please try to watch the UNCUT version, that few extra seconds of kissing scenes can melt you for sure!!
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
"The Best Love Is The Kind That Awakens The Soul And Makes Us Reach For More" – The Notebook..
The Best Thing as the title suggests was truly the best in terms of acting, visuals, story pacing, romance development and chemistry.. No doubt about it.. Zhang Ling he and Xu Ruohan were obviously the heart of this drama.. Not just their characters but also them.. Their chemistry was electric and seriously it was that good.. Their relationship felt natural, built on meaningful gestures and honestly they didnt need anything grand.. Every interaction felt real.. Like watching two people genuinely fall in love.. It is truly a gem for its take on romance.. No over the top drama.. Just two people finding solace in each other.. Visually The Best Thing is a feast with the flowers, beautiful scenery and all the beauty you could ask for, including the actors..The premise might feel trope heavy but it was unique in its own way and the actors brought it to life in a way that was so natural.. I loved how he peeled Shen Xi Fan's layers.. Her indecisiveness, her blaming herself for everything that happens.. Its messy, its human, and it grabbed me right in the feels..
The Chinese medicine backdrop isnt just pretty window dressing.. I was surprised by how much it mattered.. It underscores the theme of healing, both physical and emotional..
The first 12 eps were a solid 10 for me.. But eps 12-16 were a bit irritating.. They added cliche scenes that didn’t quite fit the drama I had been enjoying until then.. Problems were bound to arise obviously.. But her indecisiveness and how it felt like she was leading him on despite knowing she shouldn’t, was not what I expected.. But whatever irritation I felt just vanished after that phase.. And honestly even when it was frustrating, ZLH made his character so good that I didn’t even care about anything else..
That being said, she totally deserved the ML.. After everything she endured.. The love she received wasn’t just a reward, it was something she had rightfully earned.. Her struggles, growth and the emotional toll she carried made her deserving of a love that was unwavering and pure.. Despite her flaws and mistakes, she never stopped trying in her own way.. In the end their love felt justified,earned rather than simply given..
“No matter what happened in the past, good or bad its part of who you are..
Accept the past, and focus on the present and the future.. ”
“In my eyes, every day you get better and more deserving of love than the last..
So from now on just focus on loving yourself.. As for the rest, leave it to me.. ”
Her friends and the rest of the supporting cast were too good not to be mentioned. However the second couple's story felt underdeveloped and lacked a strong sense of fulfillment.. I suppose that’s because the ep count was shortened.. Causing some of their scenes to be lost along the way..
The parents deserve their own spotlight.. They were truly outstanding.. Man they were really good.. Ep 25, with all the nervousness, anxiety, fear and pain felt so raw.. They were too convincing and natural.. Truly commendable performances..
The director deserves praise as well.. Each episode was beautifully executed.. They completely made up for any shortcomings the script had..
The FL’s mother having breast cancer felt like a story arc designed to give the ML closure for the pain he endured from his own mother’s death.. Back then he had to face that pain alone.. Watching helplessly as she withered away.. But now he had the chance to do for the FL’s mother what he had long wished he could do for his own.. Help her face it, fight it and bring her out of it safely.. At the same time, it was also for the FL.. To make her realize that she wasn’t alone.. No matter how bad things got, she had people who would stand by her.. Unwavering and ready to support her through anything..
" But In my heart, you are the most beautiful scenery in this world..
Xifan, Falling in love with you is the luckiest thing l have ever done..
Loving you is the best thing I have ever done.. "
Overall The Best Thing is such a lighthearted drama.. No complicated stories.. Just two people falling for each other and finding their way together.. Slowly but steadily, in a way that proves no distance is too far for them.. Its neither rushed nor dragged out.. It takes its time.. Allowing you to feel every step of their journey.. By the end you can’t help but feel happy because they made it.. And it feels truly earned.. The Best Thing isn’t just a title.. Its a promise.. There’s a reason everyone is obsessed and the drama more than justifies it..
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Unexpectedly good drama
It is a great drama with cute and good chemistry between the main characters.Not gonna lie but this is one of my favourite drama.Even though the leads seem a little childish.At a point it was a little serious with tae sung's past and revenge plot.I loved the part were GTS pick on OHB because of his embarrassment.
The people in the story works very hard to create good image of the actors and this also shows a good amount of problems faced in the entertaiment industry.
STORYLINE/PLOT
Like other romcom it is based on entertainment industry.The male is an actor and female lead is a PR head who cleans up the mess.It has a lawyer working together with FL who likes FL.Both fl and ml were college mates and have love/hate relationship.There are Ml's manager and another manager working in the same company.Ml's manager has a great relationship with the ml except for a point where their relationship becomes little strained.
And there are characters who work on the drama in which ml is the main actor.There is some relationship problem between ml and his mom who is an ex actress who wants to resolve their issues from the past as she becomes ill.
There are some other plots where some people who hate ml try to sabotage his acting career.Some scenes you will be laughing like a hell and many times you will feel sad for th MC.
CAST
Honestly I didn't expect much from this and started this because I had free time and ended up loving this show. I saw Kim young dae in Penthouse and lee sung kyung in dr romantic 2 .I felt like they were tailor made for this drama
REASONS TO WATCH
-Good chemistry between the leads
-Slight bromance
-Good friendship
-Funny
-Some quirky humors
REASONS TO NOT WATCH
-Annoying family plot
-Unwanted revenge plot
-Scheming housekeeper
This drama is definitely worth watching with good chemistry between the ml and fl lead .It had a good amount of humor , family relationship and show a side of suffering for main actors.I think you won't regret watching it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not sure what happened here, but if anyone is looking for some advice whether to watch this drama or not....don't bother. I literally made an account on mydramalist JUST to vent how frustrated I was with this drama. Aint going to lie, the first 12 episodes are pretty good and suspenseful. But then it just went downhill. It's as if the director/writer of this drama either changed to some freak and decided to kill off the entire cast. I'm sorry but that is just a lazy excuse of any creative writer could think of.
First the villain is way over powered, absolutely making no sense whatsoever. Then introduce some Jedi S**t, where he can control everything and everyone. Then make him invincible and to top it off after spending 12 hours watching the first 12 episodes, start killing the entire cast.
The writer is a sadistic freak that needs help. Shake my head....have you even looked at that genre? It's almost everything in the list. I feel like the producers just wanted to check off everything on the list. Love - check, Comedy - check, Crime - check, Thriller - check , then after, kill everyone; now you get tragedy thrown in the mix too. What makes it even more stupid is that, not 1 person decided to outsmart the villain. Really??? Honestly, if this guy was as evil as everyone makes him out to be, then why would anyone even trust him.
Don't waste your time with this. I'm just so angry I wasted my time with this.
Music and Cast are pretty good. Everything else...is a flop.
I'm done my rant, have a good day. Hope other agrees with me.
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Rough path with some sweetness and the ending that lost focus…
A Shoulder to Cry On delivered quite a few good messages that would resonate with teens and young adults, and even a few lessons that can change the perspective of the adults, as long as they are willing to think about these topics after the episodes end. A nice step into a different direction in a well known high school set up.That said, is this truly the deep and complex psychological story as some people claim it to be? Depends on what you compare it to. It’s not as sweet and silly as many high school and university BLs, and there is an attempt to add layers to the characters, especially on Tae Hyun’s side. So compared to other K-BLs, one could see it as something more. If you look at it in a broader manner, sadly it’s just another enemy to lovers trope with trauma as a cherry on top.
Yes, it does tackle some serious and important topics like childhood trauma, lack of emotional support, repressed feelings, guilt, resentment, forgiveness. Yet, all on surface level. It’s like a weather talk - just a starter for the conversation.
I think the biggest disappointment for me comes from how black and white they tried to present really complex situations and how fast they moved away from them without truly putting time and effort to give a proper resolution, which was especially obvious in the last two episodes. How to put it… it lacked nuance. It made me feel like the production team does not trust the audience to handle difficult topics so they made them as approachable and simple as possible. God forbid someone finishes an episode with conflicted feelings about the characters.
Personally, my favorite part of the plot was Da Yeol’s doubts about his path. It’s an issue most young people resonate with and many adults still struggle with. It was best written, paced and concluded part of the story and I wish the drama focused on it a little bit more.
Then we have the acting, which was fine during the teen daily life scenes, and questionable at best during the emotional scenes. There were a few moments I could see Shin Ye Chan tried to convey strong emotions, but it just did not translate on screen. Similar issues happened with more “heart wrenching” scenes from Kim Jae Han. Realistically speaking, for debut roles, these were quite challenging, so I’m; not exactly surprised by the end product.
Undoubtedly the production was a massive improvement compared to other short k-bls. Longer episodes allowed the story to have a more even pacing without too many things being painfully rushed (putting aside the final conclusions). While it still lacks in comparison to mainstream dramas, it’s on par with other web dramas, which is far better than what we’ve got until this point from Korean BLs.
Improvement from makeup artists needed though.
Overall, it’s great to see a longer format and I’m glad it was given to a story with an actual plot that at least attempted something more than “sweet teen romance”.
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Like it has been mentioned before the episodes are about 15 minutes each. It is like watching a movie - timewise.
Now, off to search who these kids are. :)
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Yummy Drama
This is probably one of the most enjoyable drama. While watching this drama, you will feel light-hearted. I really love how the whole drama focuses on Hua Xiao Mai's cooking and her 'dream'. Usually, other cooking dramas like dating in the kitchen don't really depict its title, it only has the cooking and kitchen part at the early episodes, but at the latter episodes there is no dating in the kitchen anymore. But at Chef Hua, they managed to keep the show core plot, they did not go astray from the main plot. This drama doesn't have the fight for throne, love triangle, evil scheme, bla bla bla bla. It is totally a light hearted drama, it is like showing the audience a day in a chef villager in the past.Also the cinematography is AWESOME!! I love the cooking shots. Even though some of the cooking shots bothered me bcs of the fingers smh .. but the angle lightning and everything made up for it. In addition, the OST is also very catchy too!! If you are looking for a light drama, I definitely recommend this drama!!
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This review may contain spoilers
It had everything to be the best series
I'll try to be as objective as possible and English is not my native language, so sorry if there are mistakes.The proposal of the series is really good. The themes addressed in each episode could have a greater positive impact, however, the series is short and the episodes didn't have enough running time for the plot to be better developed. As good as the cast is, good acting alone is not enough.
EPISODES BL 1, 4, and 6
Episode 1 WOULD YOU BE MY LOVE - The main couple has a lot of chemistry, that is unquestionable, but the bullyng scenes are very disturbing. In my opinion, they focused much more on the bullyng scenes, than on developing the relationship between Sun and Ozone.
Episode 4 ONCE UPON A TIME - Really the themes covered are very strong, but the story was very poorly developed. Ballon and Mek keep their relationship a secret and "apparently" talk about everything. Ballon values his family very much, and Mek is hurt that he feels left behind because he only has Ballon. A lot of things happen during the course of the episode, they even get to break up, and as much as in the end they stay together, there isn't even a dialogue between them, it doesn't show how they resolve their conflicts, so it doesn't convince me.
Episode 6 VS LOVE - In my opinion, this was the best story of all. The proposed theme was well covered, it is very straightforward, and unlike some of the previous episodes, the ending is conclusive.
For me, among the BL stories, the story in episode 6 was by far the best.
EPISODE GL 3
Episode 3 REMEMBER - Summarized in a few words "I betrayed you and lied to you, but I still love you" is about that. At the end we don't know what happens to the characters.
It started well, but in the end it was the worst episode of the series.
HETEROSEXUAL EPISODES 2, 5 and 7
Considering that most people watching this series are more BL fans, the theme proposed in these, has less impact, because it is not BL and does not address the themes related to it.
Episode 2 RHYTHM'S HEART - I didn't feel any chemistry between the main couple. There is nothing interesting.
Episode 5 BREAKUP ZONE - The story is about long-time friends who end up developing feelings for each other. In my opinion, the acting was very weak. As friends, they are very cute, But as a couple, there is no chemistry and the kissing scene would be better if there wasn't.
Episode 7 50% MY PUPPY LOVE - This is not the strongest story of them all, but it is good nonetheless. The story deals with the theme of friendship and first love. There is not much interaction between Bean and Thankao until the end of the episode, but watching it makes us relive our school days, when we started to like someone, and admire that person from afar, how we were shy to approach them... and also about the friendships we want to keep for the rest of our lives and conflicts over their misunderstandings. We can feel the tension and shyness between Beam and Tonkao and the sadness between Beam and his friend when they are fighting.
It is a cute and funny story, well worth watching.
Among the heterosexual episodes, only episode 7 is good, mainly because of the good acting, the characters are expressive and have chemistry.
Overall, it had everything to be one of the best series, because it approaches several different and very specific themes. The proposal is good, but the plot failed.
I will watch again only episodes 6 and 7.
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I really liked Lee Min Ki in this because he was so funny. The expressions on his face and the gestures, it's hilarious.
Plus, you do get the "who will she pick" tension, so the final outcome is much anticipated.
Also, the scenes with the cooking made me hungry too, so better bring some munchies.
It's 34 episodes and that can be an investment in time, but it's well worth it.
The only low score I've given is for rewatchablility; not because it's not worth a rewatch, but rather because I only rewatched certain episodes I found particularly cute and not all 34 in a row again.
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The first 15 or so minutes of the movie is nothing out the ordinary and is exactly as the synopsis says it is. Tsuchiya Tao so far, as Yukina, fits the cast of Every Japanese Shoujo Heroine™. The REAL fun of the movie starts when Yukina and Kei meet Sakaba (Mamiya Shotaro's character) and try convincing him to be a pilot in the club again. What ensues is a hilarious scream-off between Yukina and Sakaba, owing to their headstrong personalities and loud voices, which is both extremely cute and displays the incredible chemistry between the two characters that never goes away throughout the duration of the movie.
That said, don't watch this expecting a cute romance; there isn't one. One-sided, sure (I won't say who), but definitely nobody becomes a couple at the end of the movie. I was a little disappointed at first, naturally, but in figured that in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter- it didn't matter to the two people involved, anyway. Yet, I hope there is a Part 2 so that my hopeful little heart is in peace.
Tl;dr: If you're a fan of cute comedy and amazing chemistry (that is only sometimes romantic- emphasis on SOMETIMES), you will love this movie just as much as I did.
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In My Own Opinion
I love watching this show because the Cell Village literally gives visual justice to everyone's thinking and emotions. The story is very realistic and relatable. Of all the dramas that I've watch, (Cdrama, Jdrama and Kdrama) (minus the cell village part) the plot of this story is closest to reality. It shows the different types of relationships a man and a woman can have The Toxic Type, The Long Distance Type, The Friends Attracted to Each Other Type, The Affectionate Type, The Meant to be Type, The One Sided Type and so on. It also shows the ups and downs of man-woman relationship that it's not always rainbow you see and that the reality is no man or woman is overly dedicated to the person they like. Sometimes relationships experiences storm and dealing with it head on is the best solution. Temptation is always there, so GOODLUCK with those one man- woman persona of most of the ML in drama as this one sets a new standard. " THE REALITY STANDARD." I also like that it uncovers the different types of people you will meet and deal with in the work place. It also exhibits the different relationships with other people. The Confidant Relationship, The Colleague Only Relationship, The Like-Hate Relationship, The Superior- Subordinate Relationship, ect. Watching this drama in a deeper perspective, you will find that there is no way the story is light and fluffy. The story of this drama is base on the real experiences of day to day life of real people and that real people I am pertaining to is US. And what's going on our brain and how it thinks, reacts and functions was visually represented by the cute dimensional characters in the drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Unforgettable Collaborations, a Mastermind Villain, Nail-Biting Plot Twists, and a Beautiful Romance
This drama is one of the best dramas out there if someone is looking for a lot of thrill with nerve-wracking plot twists and cliffhangers and a drama with well-structured crimes as well as investigations then then you have reached your station. One of the best things that makes this drama stand out is how real the drama looks for example here the ML doesn't just magically solves cases but rather goes through various iterations again and again making sense out of the evidence and drawing various plans, this is what that is usually missing from most crime-thriller dramas. Another aspect is that the characters all had their own lives instead of all working on the same case for the sake of the plot always surrounding the ML Instead all had their own share of things to take care of many were investigating other cases many helped ML solve the cases through their own domain expertise which is also different than another other drama out there which made this drama look more like a real-world situation where we sometimes collaborate with someone other time with others, sometimes someone asks for help sometimes you get help from someone, if someone is injured or takes holidays we have their replacements. So for me, it felt more like watching a separate world through the camera lens. Wait there is still a lot more😂😂.The plot revolves around the police department, NFS, and firefighters, and here we see cases that involve all three of them working together or at least called together on sites which later turns into collaborations. Each place has a set of repeating characters which we can consider the main characters yet they can also change given the circumstances It doesn't mean that any of them lack substance rather all will end up becoming your favorite For example here Doha was an addition that I really like his collaboration with ML just makes sense they are a perfect duo just like how we saw Jindo dog and Bulldozer together in S1.
The cases are much more extreme in S2 than in S1 making us think how the hell are they gonna do, whether they will make it out alive or not. These cases will keep you up all night until you complete the whole drama😂😂. There is also slight romance in the drama, not many scenes but it will surely melt your heart whenever you see them together in any scene. Both ML and FL have their own love language and their own way of expressing it. Oh man at this rate I will keep on going all day long talking about them😂😂 let's move on.
This drama also has one of the most brilliant villains who made all the best of the bests in the drama (like Jin Ho Gae, Kang Do Ha, and Yoon Hong, etc.) run around in the palm of his hands. He was the main mastermind pulling all the strings from behind but no one could even speculate even the crimes he drew let alone his identity or his involvement. This man literally used the whole country as his playing field and our character as players to play with. He was always working on many things at once unlike the normal villains who give their all in only one crime until they fail and move on to another, he on the other hand always had his hands full of plans to execute.
Although S2 is a little bit behind S1 but cases shown here are better than S1 and it also has much much better collaborations between the different teams, departments, and characters. The lineup at the end of S2 seemed too overly powered to me where all the best of the best were working together so I don't know if S3 comes out any of the villains would even last a single episode😂. I would really love to see the actors working together again, especially the ML and FL. I don't know if there will be another season or not but all I know is that this drama created a whole different level or standard for other crime thriller dramas to work towards.
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This film is quite smart, it plays with your mind and emotions from beginning to end, this is a roller coaster of emotions. From the very beginning I was totally blown up and so many times while watching the movie I just found myself -literally- open mouthed because I just couldn't believe what I was watching. Too good.
They tell us the story step by step without missing details, so we don't get the whole bunch of information abruptly and it keeps you hooked up to the story.
One of the things that I loved the most about this, was definitely the ethical-moral question the whole movie sets. Who's right? who's wrong? who has the right point of view about justice? The film won't answer these questions, it just shows different points of views and it's all up to you to decide who's right or wrong...
The ending is an open ending but not a bad ending at all! it's really hard to make an open ending good, but this one was pretty good. I loved the very last scene so much.
About the acting... Ikuta Toma is a great actor, he deserves every single acting award that exists in this planet. His acting was superb! Actually everyone did a great acting job.
Camera and directing work it's perfect for the film, the colors and the tones and use of the light gives to every moment a special feeling.
Music was pretty accurate to each scene, in some scenes I just felt that music was another character of the movie. :)
This movie is based on the novel "No Otoko" by Urio Shudo :)
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