A nightmare for many, a relief for others, having a parent (or both) cohabiting is, inevitably, a disruption of a couple's privacy. However, it is something that many family-based cultures expect, especially from daughters. Adapted by Hisako Kurosawa from a novel by Hinako Nakazawa and directed by Yuki Tanada's ,“My Dad and Mr. Ito” explores these familial dynamics, unraveling within an unconventional clan.
“My Dad and Mr. Ito” is screening as part of Father's Day Cheer on Asian Pop Up Cinema
In few words at the beginning of the narration, Aya (Juri Ueno) describes Mr. Ito (Lily Franky), who for a short time was her co-worker at a combini (convenience store), as someone she would never go out with. Guess what? They are a couple now and live together. Yes, he is ambition-less and a bit childish even if 20 year older than her, but they both seem to share a certain “carpe diem” philosophy of life and they actually form a lovely couple with their part-time simple jobs and their cute flat in Tokyo (how these 2 things can co-hexist is one of the mysteries of this film). But their domestic bliss is about to be turned upside down when one day, Aya's father (Tatsuya Fuji) turns up at the door announcing he is there to stay. Suitcases will follow.
Aya's salaryman brother cannot have Dad at home anymore, the excuse being the children prepping for school exams, but Aya can read between the lines that his wife is part of the problem; in fact, she can't even get close to him without feeling physically sick. Aya wonders what in the world Dad could have done to provoke such a reaction!
In the meantime, Ito-san (Mr. Ito, as Aya still calls him) and Dad are getting to know each other. Predictably Dad is not very happy that his daughter's partner is 20-year senior than her and more that that, that he is just a pat-time school cafeteria worker, but Ito-san has a charming, yet detached way of dealing with him that seems to work wonders. However, Aya feels they are all stuck in a no-escape situation as any of the available solutions could have devastating consequences for both her and her brother's family life. Feeling rejected, Dad disappears out of the blue leaving everybody baffled. Mr. Ito can help to find him, but the two siblings need to deal with the situation and make a decision.
“My Dad and Mr. Ito” is a title that promises a laugh about an odd couple of father-in-law and son-in-law. A common trope in cinema, often with comedy outcomes, the intrusion of parents in the life of a couple is taken here a notch deeper, beyond the easy laugh, as a trigger to spark discussion about family role, belonging and also lightly touching the social aspect of elderly people in modern society.
After the gentle comedy tone of the first half, the story focuses more directly on Aya and her brother's lost ties with Dad. Particularly touching is the episode of Aya in disguise, following Dad to see how he spends his day. She had been thinking some pretty gruesome scenarios in an attempt to explain why her sister-in-law is so distressed, she even feared some sexual harassment episodes, but what she ends up seeing is an old man sitting on a bench at dusk, looking at a housing estate, probably holding on to his memories.
And again, Aya's and her brother's embarrassed stupor when Dad tells them how he met Mum is another sign of a cloudy past. The big old family house, with its persimmon tree represents the past and the memories; what will happen to those relics is a positive yet melancholic suggestion that life is OK even if it's lived at the moment and when it's impossible dealing with the past, it's the present that matters and we can still make every moment count.
Although the narrative is from Aya's point of view and grumpy-but-kawaii Juri Ueno fits well in the role, the real highlights are Tatsuya Fuji and Lily Franky, both inhabiting well script characters with a proper development and neither as stereotypical as they could have been. The latter in particularly goes through a radical change in the audience perception during the narration. However, some secondary threads of the narrative – like one involving tablespoons – get lost along the way and feel somehow unnecessary.
“My Dad and Mr. Ito” doesn't offer easy solutions and leave you in charge of your conclusions and this is a great plus of a movie that dangerously walks on the edge of corny but manages to avoid it.
