This is a nice drama about social stigma with some sweet romance on top. A man suffers discrimination and is ostracized in society because he has a brother who is in prison. I like how this movie doesn't paint this situation in black and white though. It shows how hard it is to survive in Japanese society, even if you are just guilty by (family) association with a criminal. But it also explains the reasons behind that mentality from, you could say, an evolutionary perspective. While this might not fit the current liberal Zeitgeist, it still makes sense. Some little things that happen storywise are a bit far fetched, but all in all it's a very enjoyable film with likeable characters.

Tegami is about the struggles of Nao (Yamada Takayuki) whose brother (Tamayama Tetsuji) was convicted for murder. In an extremely civilized country like Japan, only people with really twisted minds are considered to be capable of murder. This movie follows the obstacles and challenges Nao faces because he shares his blood with a murderer, with help of a friend Yumiko (Sawajiri Erika) in the span of approximately 10 years. The title "Tegami" (The Letters) comes from the letters Nao and his brother exchange over these years.

Yamada Takayuki and Tamayama Tetsuji's acting were extremely good in this film, Tegami is worth watching just for Tamayama's scene in the very end. This movie is beautifully directed with perfect background music.

Out of about 80 Japanese films I've seen so far, Tegami has the best ending scene of all. I don't expect everyone to cry, but your heart is frozen if it doesn't at least touch you, especially if you understand Japanese. I personally got goosebumps as soon as Oda Kazumasa's timeless masterpiece, "Kotoba ni Dekinai" started playing. This is a movie that deals with contemporary issues and problems in Japan. Definitely a must-watch movie of 2006.