I Love Thee for Good

MOVIE #2,233 • SCORE 8/10 • 12.20.24
SERIES: RYUSUKE HAMAGUCHI DIRECTOR FOCUS

Hamaguchi’s third feature is just under an hour and continues his strained take on the melodramatic that I nevertheless find oddly appealing. There's a real naivety or middle school logic to these characters, or at least how they process their feelings (“I don't love him, I only like him,” etc.). It seems to be intentional in the sense that Hamaguchi is playing with these concepts with a knowing wink. Because, at times, this is, unabashedly, a soap opera. Or perhaps *bashedly* or perhaps a tone I can't quite grasp? This screwing with convention and expectations is something I find appealing, however.

How happy everyone TRIES to seem (in the face of what — to the audience — are clearly Bad Decisions) is so forced, and rightfully so. There is genius in this. Here he is revealing the human truth: cinema as magnifying glass for our flaws, both big and small. Everything seems doomed but we trick ourselves into believing it's OK all the time. “Smile when you feel like crying.” Just lie yourself through life, like everybody else…

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CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ MOVIE #2,232 - (YOU ARE HERE) - MOVIE #2,234 ⫸

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Nagako and Seiichi are a couple about to get married. However, Nagako has a "secret" that prevents her from affixing her seal to the marriage certificate even on the wedding day. It was released on October 18, 2009.