Kazuhiko Yukawasa is mostly known for his script-writing work in various TV series, but he has also managed to shoot a rather interesting movie in 2016, “Koisaika Miyamoto”, based on a novel by Kiyoshi Shigematsu and starring Hiroshi Abe. This time, he had full control of the film, since he directed based on a script of his own, and ended up with a romantic feature that shares many similarities with the Hollywood productions of the category.
The story unfolds over a period of 30 years, starting in 1986, when Yayoi Yuki, an overachiever in school and a genuinely decent person is bound to Taro, a soccer ace that dreams of playing in the World Cup, by a common friend, Sakura, who has contracted HIV through a blood transfusion. Despite the latter's promise to graduate together with her two friends, the young girl perishes before that. However, the seed of love has already been planted for Yayoi and Taro, with the latter promising to marry his classmate if she is still single at 40. Years pass, and their lives remain entangled as they experience marriages, having children, and deaths of family members. Yayoi and Taro seem to always be there for each other when one is in need, but remain reluctant in expressing their feelings.
Kazuhiko Yukawa directs a bittersweet romantic story that is based on the inherent characteristic of the Japanese people, who are seldom able to express their feelings, particularly those of love. This aspect is the driving force of the narrative and a rather amusing element, particularly since the feelings the two of them share for each other are quite obvious to the viewer. The delicate balance between comedy and drama, which is the best trait of his direction, derives from this element, which is also the main source of entertainment for the movie. The “trick” of having the episodes that define the relationship of the two always taking place in March also works quite well, also as a tool of showing how time passes in the story.
At the same time, Yukawa manages to make some additional social and psychological comments. The fact that bad parenting does not always result in “faulty” children, as much as the opposite, is repeatedly highlighted through the protagonists' relationships with their families. The impact the choices people make, have on both them and the ones around them is another, as much as how regret and unfulfilled dreams can change and, essentially, define a person. The importance of taking responsibility is also presented, while Yukawa leaves a short part of the movie to highlight the role of teacher as educator. Somewhere here however, is where a fault appears, since the number of episodes presented in order to make these comments are a tad too many, although not to a point to fault the overall quality of the film.
The antithetical chemistry of the two protagonists is another trait of the movie. Haru's Yayoi is decisive, brave, mature and wise while Ryo Narita's Taro is almost exactly the opposite, with Yukawa playing here with a gender role reversal concept. At the same time, the point where the roles switch, to a degree, is an element of surprise that also adds to the entertainment the film offers.
Akira Sako's cinematography follows the rules of mainstream for the most part, being somewhat polished and letting the story speak for itself. However, the presentation of the different eras is quite good, while a number of scenes are both visually and contextually impressive, as the ones in Sakura's grave, the football game between father and son, and the one in the mall that also features a great panoramic shot. Ryuji Miyajima's editing presents the various flashbacks in a way that keeps them easily understood, while he induces the narrative with a relatively fast speed that suits its aesthetics quite nicely.
“All About March” is funny, easy to watch, makes some interesting comments and is a movie that could easily fall under the “soup for the soul” category.
