Hot off the back of “Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Final”, Hayato Kawai returns with his second feature of 2021, “First Gentleman”. An adaptation of Maha Harada's 2013 novel, the film dives into the world of contemporary Japanese politics with indifferent results. A convoluted comedy of sorts, Kawai's sanitised feature leaves much to be desired.
“First Gentleman” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival
A keen zoologist and bird watcher, Hiyori (Kei Tanaka) comes home from a Hokkaido research trip to find that his wife, Rinko (Miki Nakatani), has become the first female Prime Minister of Japan. Naturally, Rinko's drastic career move puts Hiyori in the unlikely position of being Japan's First Gentleman. Not accustomed to the spotlight but desperate for his wife to succeed, Hiyori must fend off troublesome parties on all fronts to protect Rinko and help her to become a force for change in the country.
For much of “First Gentleman”, Hiyori finds himself in increasingly uncomfortable scenarios, as he adjusts to being in the public eye. This fish out of water situation is charming, to begin with, but the novelty soon wears off as the hapless protagonist is frustratingly passive. Many of the comedic setups that involve Hiyori being used to harm Rinko are tired, predictable, and executed with little visual flair. In fact, the direction overall is painfully stale, with minimal visual humor being utilised and many scenes comprised of static conversational scenes that are more befitting of a soap opera.
There's a distinct lack of energy to the film, in everything from the performances to the camerawork. This issue is partly due to the fact that there are no real stakes in any of the plot developments. As soon as a potential antagonist arises, they're quickly batted down with little to no effort. Hiyori and Rinko's marriage would be the obvious focal point for conflict, but the two show nothing but support for one another throughout the film. Some sort of ongoing feud between the couple would at least add an element of tension to this overly-safe endeavour. The half-hearted ‘change the world' rhetoric in the finale is woefully tagged on to round out a frankly uninteresting narrative.
Perhaps the most confusing aspect of “First Gentleman” is the conflated message that the film is clearly trying to convey. Rinko is, of course, the first female prime minister of Japan, a fact that we return to over and over again throughout the narrative. However, despite pushing this idea of equality and representation in politics, the story sees Rinko constantly bombarded with issues that are exclusive to her gender. The film's resolution, in particular, is more than a little patronising, derailing some of the goodwill built up earlier concerning progressive politics. Whatever the intention behind Rinko's character arc, it's accidentally conflicted at best and loaded with contempt at worst.
Miki Nakatani comes across as suitably ministerial in the role of Rinko, while Kei Tanaka is charming as the simplistic Hiyori. However, the two share zero chemistry throughout the movie, which is a sticking point given that their relationship is the emotional heart of the narrative. The pair come across more like chummy colleagues than husband and wife, with their shared scenes severely lacking in intimacy. It's hard to get attached to the couple and believe in their love for one another outside of what we're told. Hiyori is dutifully supportive, but there's very little to grasp onto in terms of actual feeling.
Overlong, uninspired, and underwhelming, “First Gentleman” is a disappointment considering the promise of its premise. Rather than take the opportunity to explore real issues concerning representation and influence in Japan's governmental system, Hayato Kawai opts for a safe and sanitised comedy that neither humours nor excites.
