I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this movie. I think it was pretty well-made, and definitely much better than many other Japanese movies I've seen recently.

Interesting film packed with romantic tales linked together (sometimes tenuously). Stories are meant to explore everyday up and down romantic reality encountered by mostly "plain folks." The focuses is on how chance encounters can lead to serious (and sometimes lasting) relationships. And how couples stay together more out of habit than anything else. The time line jumps ahead (abruptly) 10 years to show how some things turned out and what the next generation is up to (sometimes humorously). Acting is a bit uneven with lead actress Mikako Tabe delivering a somewhat underwhelming performance (as well as being upstaged by fellow actors). Continuity suffers when scenes jump back and forth between parallel story lines. Moreover, it is sometimes hard to keep characters straight, since they can look similar (both males and females). So pay attention! The Director attempts to tie things together using a street singer performing a ballad containing the film's original title for over 10 years and at the same location! Subtitles are a bit busy, but close enough. Viewed at JICC J-Film Event. W. FLANIGAN