Initiation Love (2015)

It's so difficult to make a review of this movie without giving some stuff away, but I'll try.

If you're looking for a great movie, just watch Initiation Love. Don't read the plot, because, just going by that, I would probably never have watched it. I started it because one of my favourite actors, Matsuda Shota, is in it, but as the minutes passed I forgot about him and got sucked into the story.

The plot itself is nothing special: we're in the '80s, and a nerdy, overweight guy meets a cute girl and falls in love. While he thinks he can never be with her, the girl, Mayu-chan, actually seems to like him despite his looks and personality (which, I need to say, are completely normal and there's really nothing wrong with him.) Takkun - the nickname Mayu-chan has given him - then decides to "become a better [looking] man" for her sake. Change of scene, a very fit and 'kakkoii' Takkun gets transferred to Tokyo for work, and, gradually, his and Mayu-chan's relationship starts falling apart. But, and this is stated at the very beginning of the movie, there's a "secret" to this whole story, and it's up to the viewer to figure it out before the ending.

The acting is... I mean... it's Matsuda Shota. That guy could star in a dorama where he has to stand still in a silly pose and still make the whole thing shine. Man, what an actor.
I didn't know any of the other actors, but I loved Maeda Atsuko as Mayu-chan - even though I couldn't stand her character for sooo many reasons. (But there's no likeable character here, really.)

The music was perfect for the dorama, but I don't have much to say about it. I remember liking it, but I don't remember the actual songs. I think they were all era-appropriate though.

The rewatch value is very high because, even if you do know the story, you will want to watch it again because now you do know everything.

Overall, a beautiful movie with great actors that I really recommend to everyone - Matsuda Shota's fans in particular!

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Story : I usually use skip feature when watch a film. My favorite skip range is 3 second, because as long as you have a good subtitle you still can keep with what happen in the story. Nobody change their move in 3 seconds drastically. its become my habit because watching korean drama in 16 -24 episodes, and each episode has more than 70+- minutes really waste my time. this is my first time I regret using skip feature because I get wrong conclusion at the end. after go to MDL, read the comments, watch it again, finally I get it. and even getting better when I rewatch it.

Acting : I fall in love with atsuko maeda in this movie. I don't know is it because the character that she played or because she played her character properly. or it just because both of them. the rest actor and artist was not bad. But atsuko maeda stole my attention.

Music : the music is good. there is a backsound with rap song that the note is really similar with Indonesian song "sakitnya tuh disini" and Bollywood movie's soundtrack dilwale. I know it just coincidence because the genre is totally different. even it is not 4-5-3-6 chord that I really like and often used in J-music, it still okay for me.

Rewatch value : without giving a break, I already watch it 3 times just after the movie is finished. searching for a detail in this movie was really fun. and I still can rewatch it again if you ask me.

Summar : Perfect. one of the best Japanese movie.

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