Japanese Story (2003) User Reviews

Lunar landscape

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 10 February 2005]

"Japanese Story" is one of the saddest films in recent memory. This film came and went, practically unnoticed, despite favorable reviews in the local media. When we tried to see it, it had already disappeared from the screens in the city. We recently caught up with it thanks to a month long tribute to Toni Collette by one of the cable channels. It was worth the wait, although, this film, directed by Sue Brooks with a screen play by Alison Tilson, is not for everyone.

For all practical purposes "Japanese Story" could have been set on the moon. The Pilbara desert in Australia has been captured by the glorious cinematography of Ian Baker to create a surreal atmosphere in the development of the story. Also, the oriental themed background music by Elizabeth Drake gives the film a Japanese flavor that is never distracting; the music score sets the tone for the story.

This is a story of contrasts of cultures. Sandy Edwards, the geologist that is sent to accompany the visiting Japanese son of a wealthy Japanese industrialist, is reluctant to serve as tour guide. The areas this visiting man wants to see are remote and isolated; it might have been in the moon, for all it matters, as we don't see a soul anywhere. Basically, the story offers different viewpoints on the visiting Tachibana Hiromitsu. The Japanese are seen as the people that have come to own a great deal of Australia. Some others will never forget the WWII days, when Japan was the enemy. For his part, Tochibana is in awe of a land that is so vast and so underpopulated, in sharp contrast with the density of his home land.

This mismatched couple begins a journey that will bring them closer together, overcoming the initial dislikes. In the process, they both will discover things about the other person in a way that will make them come to like one another in more ways than expected.

An ironic twist, about two thirds into the movie, comes unexpectedly. It jolts us from the idyllic friendship and romance we see Tachibana and Sue develop into a state of complete disbelief. How could this have happened? It's a way for life interfering in a doomed relationship that wasn't meant to be.

The acting is superb. The charismatic Toni Collette does one of her best work in this movie. Ms. Collette is totally credible as this geologist that, after experiencing bliss, must face a reality she didn't bargain for. Gotaro Tsunashima, is perfect in his role. Mr. Tsunashima is at times puzzling, as well as likable, in his take of Tachibana, the man who loses his heart to the magnificent landscape and to Sue for liberating him from a rigid life dictated by honor and responsibilities.

While "Japanese Story" is not for everyone, it's worth a look because of the two stars and the magnificence of the Australian landscape.

The less you know about this film, the better.

[=G= · 8/10 · 12 May 2004]

It would be impossible to say anything substantially meaningful about "Japanese Story" without spoiling the film for those who have not seen it. Suffice it to say, it's set in Australia and works with a an Aussie woman (Colette) and a Japanese man (Hiromitsu) to build slowly to an emotionally potent situation - a series of moments - and then lingers in the denouement allowing the audience to savor the emotions evoked. For some, those feelings may be nil. For others they may be powerful and overwhelming. Personally, I wept. Objectively, the film, about a woman by women, is well crafted and Colette's performance is outstanding. The film deserves high marks in all aspects from cinematography to music to casting, etc. However, when the closing credits roll, your experience will have been as unique as yourself. And whatever that experience is, it will be less if you know the outcome in advance. (B+)

Hardly a Conventional Love Story: Good!

[lawprof · 8/10 · 1 February 2004]

Australia has given the cinema some wonderfully adept and strikingly effective female actors in the past twenty years or so, Judy Davis starting a parade that includes Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Toni Collett among others. Collett has the ability to convincingly inhabit many different roles, her part as the depressed, suicidal mom in "About a Boy" being one of her most memorable.

"Japanese Story" is a quirky tale about Sandy Edwards, Collette, an Australian geologist in her, I would guess, mid-thirties. She's ordered to squire about the son of a Japanese industrialist whose investment in a major project is dearly desired by her bosses. The young man, handicapped by a very poor grasp of English and virtually none of Australian, is played by Gotaro Tsunashima. He might be well known in his native country but he was a new screen presence for me.

Sandy takes him on a tour of an achingly eerie, desolate, windswept part of Western Australia. Must of the movie was filmed in the Pilbara Desert, still aborigine country.

Sandy and her charge encounter adventurous situations while, no surprise, a romance springs up. Why Sandy would be attracted to the younger gentleman is never explained and it really shouldn't have been. "Japanese Story" asks the viewer to simply accept that liaisons arise without any deep preliminary exposition of character.

I won't reveal the plot, somewhat unexpected, but fate insures that this affair doesn't proceed swimmingly. What makes the movie is Collette's superb and affecting acting. I cared about her while knowing relatively little about her character's past life other than she hasn't completely resolved mom-daughter issues.

Nothing in this film could impel me to ever wish to go to the Pilbara Desert but it does excite my desire to see Collette take on many more challenging roles. She has a strong future-I hope.

8/10. See it if it plays near you, rent it later if not. You won't be sorry.

unexpected plot twists make movie work

[Buddy-51 · 5 July 2004]

The best thing about `Japanese Story,' an Australian film directed by Sue Brooks and set almost entirely in the Outback, is its unpredictability. Just as you begin to think that the story, written by Alison Tilson, is headed in one particular direction, it does an amazing about-face and leads us down an entirely different, utterly unexpected narrative path.

The movie starts off as a fairly standard romantic comedy, involving two strangers who don't like each other very much yet who are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time together. Sandy is a geologist whose company, against her will and better judgment, has asked her to escort an important Japanese businessman through the wilds of the Australian desert on a sightseeing tour. The film even begins to seem a bit like a landlocked `Swept Away' for awhile, as these two headstrong people – he a Japanese traditionalist with male chauvinistic tendencies and she a no-nonsense, freethinking, independent woman (but both filled with doubts and insecurities beneath the surface) – find themselves stranded in a hostile and remote environment, fighting for survival. But then the first of the film's numerous plot reversals kicks in and we find ourselves in an entirely different situation altogether.

I certainly don't want to spoil anyone's experience of this film by revealing just what those plot twists are, so I will merely state that the film, in the second half, becomes a fairly profound meditation on the precarious nature of life and the almost lightning-paced speed with which tragedy can intervene to bring our worlds crashing down around us. Toni Collette is heartbreaking as the feisty yet warmhearted Sandy and Gotaro Tsunashima is both tender and stoic as the man from an exotic culture with whom she eventually falls in love.

That, of course, is the predictable part. But if you think you know where this story is going, you will be pleasantly surprised at how wrong you will be.

I have mixed feelings about this movie

[corinne08 · 6/10 · 13 February 2005]

I think it's one of those memorable movies you'll think about for a long time, but it also seemed to go on for a long time while you're watching it. I think Americans aren't all that comfortable with the very leisurely pace of a lot of foreign films, and that may have been part of the problem -- but there's only so long you can watch someone expressing an emotion before you want to say "I get it, I get it -- can we move on to what happens next?" The plot involves a headstrong young Japanese businessman's visit to the most desolate part of Australia -- a rather tough geologist played by Toni Collette (Muriel's Wedding) is his tour guide. He doesn't quite understand how different Australia is from Japan, and Collette has her hands full trying to chauffeur him around. The movie centers around the relationship that develops between these two very different people, set in the mind-bogglingly desolate Australian outback.

If your idea of a great movie involves car chases, this is definitely not the movie for you. If you like slower and more nuanced movies, then this one is definitely worth seeing.

Not enough character development to really get you "into it"

[jreasa · 6/10 · 14 August 2009]

For a film to truly be successful with a paper-thin plot/storyline, it usually needs either: a powerful thematic point or lesson, and/or characters you know enough to either completely identify or empathize with, or at least understand. In "A Japanese Story", I got some of the first, but little to none of the second.

Toni Collette's character "Sandy" carries the film (literally, I think she's in all but maybe one scene), but by the film's end I only had a slight grasp of who Sandy really was...and I didn't have the foggiest clue who "Hiromitsu" really was, the Japanese Businessman who randomly (we don't know why) decides to to boss Sandy around into driving them deep into the desert. I can only guess his whole trip was intended to be as some sort of getaway from his personal life, using "business" as something of ruse to get himself to Australia in the first place.

There is a beauty to the simplicity of two strangers falling in love (well, sort of fall in love) while traveling through a desolate backdrop, but I just couldn't quite get over the hump of constantly asking myself in the back of the head "who the hell are these people and why should I care?". There didn't need to be some wild back story (Hiromitsu's upset the Yakuza and is running for his life!), but perhaps a better understanding of his position, his life back home...it would've drawn me into the story more.

I gave it 6/10 because Collette had to do some serious acting and the scenery was amazing, and you can't help but feel some emotional stirring as the film develops, but there just wasn't enough "meat" to really grab me. Also, what is with the archetypal Japanese stereotypes going on this film? Not calling it outright racist...but I think the writers went a little overboard in drawing attention to the fact that we're dealing with two different cultures. Really, I can tell a Japanese from an Aussie apart, thanks.

Outstanding and Beautiful - Australian Haiku

[Adetunji · 10/10 · 10 December 2004]

This is, apparently, a love it or hate it movie. As is the case with such films those on one side have a hard time understanding the view of the opposite. I am fully in that camp, I thought this film was stark and beautiful--as moving in its silence and mundane moments as it was illuminating. For those who say there is no plot, well I clearly saw a different film, there is more story and intention in simple small details as there are in a whole series of other films. Toni Collette was amazing and Gotaro Tsunashima was perfect, capturing the emotional compression and exploration of his character with clarity and skill. In a film full of striking absolutely believable and full moments -- the furtive exploratory glances as the two leads drive through the desert, and Toni's fascination with Gotaro's nearly hairless arms say so much about the characters', their history, their assumptions, their prejudices. Incredibly moving, shattering emotionally, and ultimately deeply profound. A haiku-like meditation on living and sharing--I loved it.

A lot of rice, not much meat

[catherinemccaskill · 6/10 · 8 March 2005]

Good acting by Toni Collete, nice scenery of the outback. But am I the only one who wondered how two people could drive way out in the outback without basic survival equipment? And not know to put brush under the tires in the first place when they were stuck in the sand? And not to depend on cell phones for communication way out in the desert? And travel without even so much as a blanket? Everyone involved in hosting the Japanese guest knew the basic rituals of politeness save our heroine--and she would have been briefed by her colleagues in the real world. Too many questions get in the way of believability.

However, I recommend the movie for anyone missing Australia. There should be subtitles not only for the Japanese but also for the 'stralian.

A masterpiece

[britten-daniel · 10/10 · 6 April 2006]

In an age when criticism has become debased and few people are really certain about what constitutes true worth in art, it is difficult to use the word "masterpiece" about any film. And yet that word is applicable here. At first this film appears to be just a bog-standard romantic love story, in the Hollywood mould, about two very different characters who meet and fall in love in unusual circumstances. Opposites attract, and so on.

However, as the story unfolds one becomes aware that there are many more levels to it than one would normally expect. Everything, from the title to incidental characters and the spectacular images of the desert, has been carefully thought out. It raises profound questions about a fashionable subject: identity, but also about love itself. Are these characters in love, or is it merely the terrifying starkness of the Australian outback that has thrown them together? Finally a third person enters the relationship, who complicates matters even further. Despite the romantic overtones of this film it is lifted, ultimately, by its absolute realism. Small gestures betoken whole story lines and glimpses of other characters throw the protagonists into sharp relief. Other influences begin to trickle through: Yasujiro Ozu, Peter Weir (in his early days), Japanese Haiku. And yet this is an entirely original work.

This film had a huge emotional impact on me, but it also made me think, about my own life and about the choices I've made. It did everything that a genuine work of art should do, and without any of the fanfare that we, in the West, have come to associate with art. Small wonder that it got little of the attention that in previous eras it would have attracted. Watch it, and discover that it is still possible to make a classic.

a beautiful and/but incomplete film

[heavenisclosed · 6/10 · 3 December 2005]

The overwhelming impression i had of this film was that it had great moments (particularly on the part of the actors) but could perhaps have gone a lot further in all other aspects. I wouldn't call it inadequate, though, just... incomplete.

The acting deserves special mention. Toni Collette's performance was simply outstanding, and fairly well-matched by the others. There was a general sense for me that the cast had been chosen very carefully and the result was was an entirely believable group of characters that were always 100% in their vigor, even during the most banal scenes, not just the 'oscar' moments. This is an incredibly refreshing thing to see in a film, making it all the more engaging.

Unfortunately, the narrative and the written part of the character development are so weak that the actors (Especially Collette) at times seem to be pulling out extra resources from their psyches beyond the emotional world of the film, in order to achieve stunning performances. That is nothing unusual in film, but isn't always the best option since it can interfere with the group 'vibe' by making actors too sunk into their own little worlds when they should be feeding each other to enhance an audience's understanding of the whole the film. The cinematography is also a bit 'absent', relying too much on beautiful locations or interesting sites (mise-en-scene) that are are not framed as interestingly by the camera.

Thematically, the film poses some very interesting and pertinent questions, sometimes directed at itself. For example, why is it called 'A Japanese Story' when it tells us virtually nothing significant about the 'Japanese' experience or culture? The film's perception and/or portrayal of 'the foreign' is entirely Orientalist, using the largely exorcist and psychologically shallow Japanese male lead to tell us more about the substantially more complex Australian female character than about himself. Genderwise, of course, this may be an interesting and necessary challenge to mainstream viewership, since we are so used to 'deep' male characters alongside mostly cosmetic, objectified and/or expendable women. But the focus on an 'other' (non-white) culture to pose this challenge is problematic, especially when that 'other'culture is not really explained but rather coldly represented through a 'white' gaze - despite the obviously very 'western' lifestyle of the Japanese man. (Lets not forget that Australia, like the USA, is a product of colonization, with an indigenous population who are still marginalized, so that the lack of cultural reflexivity - not political correctness - in an Australian film is always disturbing). The equal complexity of Japanese individual humanity is superseded by the surface appearance of an imagined, plus grossly stereotyped and generalized,Japanese 'national' character. This opens the film up, rather easily and unnecessarily, to charges of xenophobia at best and racism at worst.

Overall, however, the film rises as an admirable and bold attempt at a tricky subject and an uncommon plot within arguably quite unique circumstances. But the general feeling remains that this is an incomplete film, which leaves one with too many unanswered questions, both aesthetically and politically. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth seeing and judging for yourself, and promises some satisfying, if short-lived,moments of beauty.

Yikes...

[najirama · 1/10 · 29 September 2005]

Is everyone blind, or just afraid that they missed a nuance that would appear obvious to the learned? ; Rest assured you did not - this movie missed the mark completely. No, Japanese pants are not different; Yes, the love scene was horrid; No, you don't die jumping only 4 feet with ARMS EXTENDED in ANY swimming hole; Yes, the background music was interesting for about 30 seconds and then quickly became unbearable. Yes, this movie is embarrassingly(unintentionally) racist. This movie was just a mistake - period.

Oh, and is it just me or was anyone else completely unmoved by the "tragic" turn of events? There was no emotion or love in any of they're scenes together, in fact, Collette has more emotional energy in the scenes by herself afterward(odd)?!

A naturalistic journey into a landscape of raw emotion and beauty.

[christopher_peacock_1982 · 10/10 · 19 April 2005]

Tender, original and moving, Japanese Story boasts an exceptional performance from Toni Collette. The star of Muriel's Wedding plays the ambitious geologist Sandy Edwards, reluctantly accepting the assignment to guide Japanese businessman Tachibana Hiromitsu (Gotaro Tsunashima) through the Australian outback: a vista of spartan natural beauty captured through expert photography. Unlikely intimacy and human emotion beckons in the expanse, as the feisty Antipodean and reserved Easterner clash and then connect, while getting lost in the desert.

The polarised characters of Sandy and Hiromitsu are thrown together purely for placating the relations of business, reflective perhaps of the relationship between Australia and Japan for the last fifty years as their union exists rather out of an economic necessity. Sandy accepts the assignment in order to promote her software designs, determined to persist in striking up conversation with her reluctant Japanese counterpart. Hiromitsu exhibits all the characteristics of a patriarchal tradition; conversing only with men in the language of business whilst openly rejecting Sandy as merely his chaperon not worthy of any common courtesy of niceties.

The film takes us on a road-trip journey that forces the unlikely couple further into the expansive Australian terrain. Hiromitsu seems obsessed with the amount of space the land has to offer signifying his claustrophobic existence in both his marriage and corporate structure where he is subordinate to his father. His infatuation with Australia's limitless landscape fuels his demands for Sandy to drive deeper into the unknown. Sandy meanwhile openly displays her disdain and frustration towards Hiromitsu yet a series of unpredictable enactments allow attraction, desire and romance to ensue.

Just when their relationship is tenderly developing in adversity, the film takes a dramatic turn, forcing the audiences expectations of a conventional love story to be confounded. What we get instead is a radical turn of events that cause a delineated plot leaving the audience emotionally wrenched whilst unable to fathom the film's outcome. Alison Tilson's script directed by Sue Brooks gives the film a tenderness and realism to both character and plot which could so easily have been overplayed. The film in essence is as unpredictable as life, taking you on a journey where the final destination is never a straightforward route of resolutely love and happiness. Under Brook's direction, Collette and Tsunashima give a performance that is outstanding, captivating and highly charged with emotion. Collete's naturalistic and raw emotion is powerful enough to effect even the hardest of nerves whilst Tsunashima's character transgresses from a confined man to a freer being allowed to shake off his shackles of tradition and expectation.

The film's beautifully constructed cinematography of a picturesque yet barren landscape is reflective of Sandy and Hiromitsus' relationship that exudes so much promise and beauty within an environment of unpredictability, danger and frailty. Hiromitsu even remarks to Sandy that 'You have shown me so much beauty' which rings true through the landscape, her physicality and their human emotion. The film's success lies within its examination of binaries and confounding expectations within those structures. The cultural division between East and West are temporarily eroded in the relationship between Sandy and Hiromitsu whilst gender and sexuality are displayed in a unique cinematic way. The male body becomes the object of desire through the lingering camera work both on the beach and in the hotel bedroom encounter. Both female and male body are examined equally adding to the feeling that both Sandy and Hiromitsu are temporarily detached from the world abandoning all its preconceptions and social baggage.

It is remarkable to see another resounding success for Australian cinema and so refreshing that Collette isn't just prepared to settle at what Hollywood throws at her. Japanese Story is a powerful journey into the unknown and the unexpected, leaving both the protagonists and audience emotionally exposed to what life has in store for us.

Painful in more ways than one

[jazzpiano- · 6/10 · 5 October 2006]

I watched 'Japanese Story' for the fourth time since when I first saw it about five months ago, and my opinion on the film has changed upon reflection. I initially rated it 10/10, which now seems a little too generous - let me explain why: The film starts off as a generic romantic comedy/culture clash film, but veers off in an unexpected (despite the foreshadowing in the first half an hour of the film) direction, morphing into a sombre drama. It is a slow film, and is definitely much better viewing the first time around. The first time you watch the film, the slowness of the film gives the characters more depth and the events slowly unravel in a predictable pattern. The film reaches its unexpected climax, which makes your adrenaline rush for a moment, even though it is filmed in real time just like the rest of the film, and then the film flows smoothly to its end, slowing until it stops.

I find Toni Collette very easy to watch in this film - she plays feisty geologist Sandy with believability, showing her vulnerability as well as her confidence. Sandy agrees to chauffeur a Japanese businessman named Hiromitsu Tachibana around the Australian desert in the hope of selling the company Hiromitsu's father owns her software. Sandy is at her most vulnerable when in the desert with Hiromitsu, and her most confident when surrounded with her double-monitored computers, her high-tech can opener and a large truck - civilization, basically. I suppose that everyone becomes a little vulnerable when they're in an environment as seemingly devoid of life as the desert, because everyone is scared of nothing - and it makes sense that when surrounded by nothing, you'd take advantage of something, hence why Sandy and Hiromitsu take advantage of each other and have a passionate, but awkward affair.

This film has received a lower rating not because the film has become worse in my opinion - no, it is still moving and beautiful (acting, cinematography and music-wise), and sometimes a little confronting (or humorous, depending on how you receive raw human emotion) - but because the film is so slow that by the fourth viewing, you can hardly sit through it. I wouldn't buy this film on DVD.

Many people find several things annoying about this movie, and I should warn you that you might also find them annoying. You wouldn't want to be crying at the end of film for the wrong reasons.

The music - an orchestral funereal song sung in Japanese by a woman, which plays solidly for about 25 minutes. This will either annoy the sh*t out of you, or move you.

Toni Collette - some people find her raw performance laughable, and others find it unstoppably moving. Once again, it just depends on who you are.

The plot, or lack thereof - A deliberately simple premise to investigate the love that blooms between two people when surrounded by a desolate expanse. The lack of a solid, clever plot completely infuriates the Charlie Kaufmans of the world.

The pace - The slowness can make the film seem banal and boring, but I found lots of subtle things to watch in the film. I've read reviews on this site that said the relationship bloomed out of nowhere, but I saw when it started to occur, I don't know what film they were watching. I would recommend your full attention watching this film.

So my advice to you is to relish the first viewing, come with an open mind to this film, try not to laugh at how preposterous it seems and think of the film as a chronological record of an event in Sandy's life - that's what the film is. Don't let the title mislead you in its infinite vagueness - there's nothing to do with Japan in this film at all; it's about a relationship. That said, I can't think of a better title, I think this must've been a hard film to title. Perhaps: 'They Fell In Love In The Middle of A Desert And Then The Film Went All Art-house On Us!'

Stereotyped 3rd-class movie

[kinonakajima · 1/10 · 20 November 2005]

I may be one of only few Japanese who watched this film (as it apparently was not released in Japan and I got to know of this film in Europe). I have to say that the stereotyped description of the Japanese character is outrageous to the extent of humiliation. Those who produced this film should have been left behind the age of globalization. And the music, which many people are commenting on here, is not typical Japanese. Instead it is a well-respected traditional Okinawan song, which reminds most Japanese people of the tropical islands of Okinawa, away from mainland Japan. The way that the song is used in this film bothers me a lot given the noted value of this song. (The Okinawans would be offended more than I am.) As for other people's comments on shallow relationship, weak personalities, insufficient explanations, poor scenario, etc., I cannot agree more. Third-class entertainment movies for exclusive domestic consumption exist in any country, and I thought this was just one of them, but what shocked me most was that this film had even been awarded in Australia! Oh, please, I have seen some better Australian films before...

Story for both of us

[Philby-3 · 11 October 2003]

This is as much an Australian story as a Japanese one. We are not about to turn Japanese, but our close economic relationship over the last 50 years has to some extent transcended the cultural gap that divides us, and the bitterness of World War 2. On one level, this is a very personal story of two people from different cultures who become closer than they might have imagined. On another level it examines two very different cultures tied together by economic necessity. These themes are played out in a truly awe- inspiring ancient landscape, which, as others have remarked, is a character on its own.

I've not been to the Pilbara, but I've been to places like it elsewhere in Australia, and they tend to have the effect of reminding you of the fragility of your existence. The Aborigines (represented here by only a gas station attendant) regarded themselves as belonging to the land and here you can see why. It's not clear what Tachibana Hiromitsu, the rich businessman's son, is looking for in the desert, but he certainly feels its power. Just why Sandy the tough female geologist comes to harbour tender feelings towards him is not evident either; perhaps it's the mothering instinct at work- he's not an adaptable kind of guy and perhaps she senses his vulnerability.

Apart from the firm refusal to turn this film into a romantic comedy, despite some `When Harry Met Sally' moments, there are several other things going for it. First there is Toni Collette's entirely convincing performance which overcomes some weaknesses in the storyline (and improbabilities in her character). She has a lot of ground to cover, from boredom to hilarity, from dislike to intimacy, and from terror to melancholy.

Second, the cinematography fully exploits the scenery without detracting from the story. Much of `Japanese Story' was filmed around Port Headland in the Pilbara, but it's not a tourist brochure. Third, even the minor parts are played with precision (eg John Howard as the BHP man and Yukimo Tanaka as Tachibana's wife). It's difficult to judge just how effective Gotaro Tsunashima is – you'd need to be Japanese, I guess, and anyway the script is from an Australian, Alison Tilson. To my eyes he seems real enough, if we accept he's from a very privileged and sheltered background. It's interesting that Sandy seems to be the initiator of their intimacy (he doesn't resist!).

I think this film would hold up well anywhere. It has more than the usual emotional content for an Australian film, an intriguing and poignant story, good acting, and it's not too long. The admission price is also considerably cheaper than an air ticket to Port Headland.

No point to make, but the emotions are heartfelt

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 24 August 2021]

Australian drama stars Toni Collette as the director of a software company in Perth acting as hostess to a potential buyer visiting from Japan; they have the usual difficulties (both cultural and ideological) understanding one another, and she's angered by becoming his chauffeur, but they eventually discover a surprising mutual attraction out on the open road. Story of a quickly-formed relationship takes a sudden turn in its third act, becoming an emotional study of human despair. I haven't always been a fan of Collette's work; I don't see the appeal in the choices she makes as an actress, nor in the projects she takes on (she gives herself over to her roles, yes, but always to a fault. I feel she bleeds out her characters, obliterating whatever our feelings are towards the women she's portraying). Director Sue Brooks makes the mistake of doting on Collette's openly panicked expression until we have the actress's face practically memorized: the high forehead, the crooked nose, the round, searching eyes and parted lips (always on the verge of saying something). That aside, I was moved by Collette's performance here: first, by her animal-like confusion and fear, followed by a deeply-felt inner sadness and, finally, acceptance. It's a true actors' turn, though not without some missteps (Collette has a burst of anger when she first returns to her office that makes her seem a bit frightening, behavior which is then matched by her weirdly robotic walk). "Japanese Story", written by Alison Tilson, doesn't really have a point to make; however, when the emotions of the piece take over, everything seems to click into place--and Brooks' finale is heartfelt and true. The winner of a whopping eight Australian Film Institute Awards, including Best Film. **1/2 from ****

awkward romance turns into something more

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 30 June 2015]

Geologist Sandy Edwards (Toni Collette) is stuck with babysitting Hiromitsu Tachibana around the Australian desert looking at mining operations. He's the son of the boss of a giant Japanese conglomerate. She's hoping to sell them her computer program. He's demanding, clueless and insecure. She's loud. There is a cultural and language barrier. They get stuck out in the middle of the desert. They fall for each other and then it all ends.

Hiromitsu is off-putting. If the movie is simply about them ending up in a life altering friendship, this would be a great movie. The cultural differences are a little too silly at times. The romance is really silly. These two characters have so little chemistry that they may have negative chemistry. It is to the credit of Toni Collette that it works in any fashion at all. After the "incident", she gets to stretch out and the movie turns into something more.

It's true, it is Toni Collette's best role - a convincing lead performance. Director Brooks and writer Tilson delivered a perceptive Australian-Japanese story.

[ruby_fff · 8/10 · 1 February 2004]

I don't know what to expect when I went to see "Japanese Story" - I didn't read any review other than hearing Toni Collette did a terrific job and the trailer is interesting. I sensed that the element of 'death' could be part of the theme/plot as I noted at a beginning scene where Sandy (Collette's character) was sitting down reading papers in her Mum's kitchen and her Mum casually remarked that death is part of life. A brief notion and director Sue Brooks continues on letting us follow Sandy around: at her office, we see her modern geological double-monitor workstation; we hear her frustrated exchange with male business partner on 'dumping' her the task of handling business client arriving from Japan. We follow her home still vexed at the agonizing thought of accompanying a Japanese client - meanwhile we're shown how matter of fact she goes about getting her chow down, with new age gadgets like a self-rotating can opener. The screen cuts to a small airfield. We see an Oriental man (Gotaro Tsunashima) in suits steps off a plane. The air about him is detached. The contrast is felt when Collette arrives in a hurry, disheveled appearance and in casual slacks. So the journey of this odd pair begins. A fascinating one at that.

It may not be apparent immediately that you'd be experiencing an emotional ride. But I found the pace just right - right there in the outback environment with the two of them, day, night, very hot, shivering cold, sweating, digging. There's a certain atmosphere to the film - can't quite label it but definitely Australian geographical-oriented - land, nature and people. Thrown into the mix is the Japanese culture for added spice, thoughtfully put together. Hence the joy, jumping for joy, laughter, joking, gentleness, intimacy, we'd understand. The turn of events edifies how unexpected life can be - the yin and yang, the ecstasy and sadness, just at the change of a moment, a motion…stunned, numb. The mystery of life and death is utterly incomprehensible by man. The focus is not on grief or state of shock, nor simply on cultural differences, the aim seems further: it almost culminates in the words about the joy given to him, the chance to appreciate the vastness of the space (desert), and being able to open his heart.

The two Japanese roles were well cast: Gotaro Tsunashima as Hiro performed pitch perfect. The role of the wife by Yumiko Tanaka, though brief, is important to complement Collette's role. Both gave just the right dose and tempo to the characters.

The Australian landscape is simple yet breathtaking. Cinematographer Ian Baker and film editor Jill Bicock are both from Australia and had worked together on "IQ" 1994 and "A Cry in the Dark" 1988. Music by Elizabeth Drake and casting by Dina Mann both are former collaborators with the team of Brooks, Tilson and producer Sue Maslin in 1997 ("Road to Nhill").

The film reminds me of w-d Friðriksson's "Cold Fever" (1995) and w-d Clara Law's "The Goddess of 1967" (2000). The former is a road movie of a young Japanese businessman traveling to Iceland to observe tradition and honor his dead parents; the latter is an Australian made film with outback landscapes and an intriguing non-conforming story.

Kudos to Alison Tilson who has written an insightful script, and Sue Brooks who has confidently directed this film made in "forty days and forty nights in the desert." Production by Gecko Films, Australia, and distribution by Samuel Goldwyn Films, U.S., "Japanese Story" is a thought-provoking film to experience.

A fascinating tale on the outback.

[mariahopkins-18946 · 7/10 · 6 December 2018]

At first glance, Sue Brooks' Japanese Story appears to be an infusion of genre stories: man versus nature, a road trip, and a mismatched romance. However, while there are elements of each ingredient in the movie, Brooks and screenwriter Alison Tilson want the finished product to be a deeper and richer mixture than one might anticipate from considering its parts. In fact, this is not an outback adventure story, but a character piece. Japanese Story looks at isolation and the fragility of human relationships. It's a poignant, unsettling motion picture that will baffle those who have become used to Hollywood's compact, tidy endings. This Australian indie should be on your watchlist.

This film is extraordinary

[SLR-3 · 9/10 · 6 February 2004]

This is the sort of film that you must commit to. If you sit in your seat and analyse it, without getting involved in it, you will be disappointed as some of the folks were according to these comments.

I feel sorry for anyone who did not find this film to be absolutely exquisite.

For those of us who appreciated it, no words are necessary. For those who did not, no words will suffice.

Japanese Story

[[e-mail] · 7/10 · 11 April 2005]

Many of the newspaper film reviewers in my English-speaking country rated the movie 4-stars out of 5. They had been mostly reliable, so I waited for the chance to catch the movie on video. Prices at the cinemas being on the high side, I usually reserve that privilege to movies of mood and special effects.

I did not know much about Jap Story before, only that it was about a Jap businessman and an Aussie girl who was his tour guide and that the story was set in Australia. I've watched Aussie films before and always find the place to inspire some great tales. As in the JS film, the utter desolate expanse of the Australian landscape really dwarfs our own significance.

Of the movie, I came away with mixed feelings. On one hand, I think there is something of substance to the script. On the other, like a snack, it leaves me feeling not quite full at the end. I think, even if Ms Collette did an excellent acting job here, her character and life doesn't quite come through here. After the movie, I can't quite sit down and write what Sandy Edwards is about.

That she cares, we know. Why is she attracted to Hiromitsu? (Or Asian men for that matter) We don't. What's her take on a new man-woman relationship? We don't. There was some hint about her past relationship, but how that affected her, we don't know. What is she looking for in a new one?

From the movie, I gather she is strong and independent, yet, on occasion, perhaps, need the assistance of a man. It was telling how she looked to Hiromitsu for a hand when trying to lift his luggage into her jeep. It was not too much for the asking from a gal, isn't it?

Did she find a soul-mate in Hiro? Of this, I'm not sure. Did she find a man to care for and even exhibit her nurturing tendencies without coming on too strongly as an Alpha female? Maybe.

I am still wondering about that scene - the love-making one in the motel - where she strips and then puts on Hiro's pants and makes love to him - with her on top.

There was a bit of "letting go" and a return to childhood joys at the the scene where the tragedy happened. Was that what she was looking for? Someone who loved rocks and life (a reference to the beginning of the film in which she has a confrontation with her mom over the latter's obsession.) Of this, I think the film is rather thin.

Could this movie also about coming to terms with one's responsibility, something which Hiro kept referring to in his work, role in Jap society/family and tackling problems created by one own self? At the end, Sandy had to put things right with Mrs Hiro. Sure it was a fling. But a beautiful and private fling it shall remain; not some marriage wrecking incident that devastates. For that message, I think the film is worth watching and pondering about. Perhaps, in this crowded city-world of ours, all we need is the space to come to terms with consequence of our actions. Of course, being in Australia will help heaps!

overrated

[arunkj78 · 4/10 · 3 October 2005]

When I heard the title "Japanese Story", I though there might be something really aesthetic or unique about this movie and was expecting something with artistic value. But in my opinion, this turned out to be nothing more than a mediocre movie.

Almost everything in it from title to climax falls short of expectation. All it has shown successfully is the vastness and beauty of Australia and the difference in behaviour of Japanese and Australians. Collette has delivered a decent performance. I wouldn't call it excellent as there wasn't much in movie for someone to take it further and I don't expect anyone else to do better. I can't find any tellable story in the movie and if at all there is one, it is more Australian than Japanese.

The only novel thing in the movie is the sudden shock it generates in the viewers when the Japanese guy dies unexpectedly. His death is unique because the movie never fully explained the use of the character before killing it. It wasn't like someone getting killed in some shootout or by a vehicle accident. That character just dies awkwardly after diving into a shallow pond head first while the story was a positive note. It certainly looked like the death was meant to give a sudden jerk to the viewers. After the death, everyone does their part of mourning and the movie ends right there. Frankly, I failed to understand the message it tried to deliver, except for the fact that life is short.

This is rated 7/10 by IMDb users and I think that is a gross overrating. A rating of 7 is pretty decent by IMDb standards and this movie doesn't deserve that.

WOW

[heartland-1 · 9/10 · 5 November 2004]

I agree with not letting anyway tell you anything about this fantastic film.

I was so moved, Toni Collette was brilliant. I saw the movie with 5 other female friends and we spoke for weeks about the feeling that was invoked inside us. I am desperate for my husband to see this film, and have advised him if anyone ever mentions the film to walk away, block his ears and not listen as the experience would be so less if you knew the outcome.

Japanese story

[tadam796 · 6/10 · 14 February 2014]

I think Japanese story was a pretty good. The positives I can say about the movie is that some of the scenes do keep you interested. Especially how the relationship between the characters develop. For the most part the scenes towards the end between the wife and Sandy comes off pretty genuine. The things I didn't like about the movie was the connection between the two was never really defined. It confused me because she was really distraught about the accident but it seemed she wanted to be acknowledged more for his death. But overall the movie was pretty good and I would watch it again. I would rate the movie 6 because of the level of interest. It does make you want to watch the movie all the way through. The confusing parts of the movie doesn't throw it off to much. I like how the character is trying to find himself in another culture. IN the say breathe Sandy found herself in another culture. The two manifest a good relationship within the restriction of they're relationship.

Horrible

[psilocybe01810 · 2/10 · 14 August 2004]

I do not see how people could give this movie such credit. PLEASE! The only part of this movie that caught my attention was the "stuck in the outback" scene and thats it! The affair is utterly shallow and boring. And the death is also very uninteresting.

And as others have posted... The last act I was about to shut the television off. It was honestly 30 minutes of the same music, that was honestly a jackhammer to the head.

All in all, this movie was completely dull and unengaging. 7.0 is ridiculous, I wonder what these other reviewers are thinking.

-psilo