Satomi is a girl in trouble, since her indecisiveness has actually materialized in the forms of two instances of herself, white-clad Joy who is always good to her and there in the good times, and black-clad Sorrow, who is always awful to her and there in the bad times. Satomi essentially just exists in her life, having a boyfriend who seems to ignore her completely, while in her line of work, she cannot stand up neither to the company she works nor to her colleague, being pushed over from both. One day, her brother Toshiya returns home after 10 years, although now she is a girl named Hinata. Her appearance forces Satomi to rethink her whole life.
Necessary and Unnecessary is screening at Japan FilmFest Hamburg
Hitomi's in-betweenness is highlighted in an amusing fashion by Tomoichiro Setsuda, by presenting her two instances, essentially signifying that she has both bad and good in her, but can never make up her mind about what to do, even in the smallest decision. The appearance of her sister, however, finally makes her feel something, even if that something is frustration for her sudden appearance. It is in this moment that Setsuda's comment appears in the 15-minute short, that feeling things, acknowledging your feelings and even channeling them out is the only way for people to move forward.
The comment is given through a series of moments that demonstrate the unique style of Japanese humor, as in the fact that the father of the two actually acts as if nothing has happened, stating that Toshiya is always Toshiya no matter how he looks, in a direct clash with the usual clichés of the similar concepts. Satomi's reaction to her boyfriend also moves in the same fashion, although it does get a little bit too far, if only in concept and not actual depiction. Lastly, the way she finds solace in her sister's hug, and her D-cup breasts, conclude the overall approach here, which lingers between seriousness and humor.
Mutsumi Sato is quite appealing to watch in the three roles she takes as Satomi, Joy and Sorrow, with her transformation being among the most rewarding aspects of the movie. Rina Kamei as Hinata/Toshiya is equally convincing, with her reactions being a very entertaining combination of coolness and her will to take care of her sister. The cinematography is on a good level, without particular exaltations, focusing on the realistic presentation of the events, although some scenes during the end are quite appealing to the eye. The editing results in a relative fast tempo that fits the overall quirkiness of the film, while also being part of the humor here through a couple of sudden cuts.
“Necessary and Unnecessary” is a smart and funny film that plays with the whole concept of unburdening in a way that is distinctly Japanese. The sum of all the elements is definitely entertaining.
