Fairly real and the direction is superb, but is there really a point?

Rating: 6/10 (6 November 2003)

I'll make no bones about Sofia as a director. She sets a mood and is very skilled.
My gripe with the movie lies in the story. If I were to give this movie a grade based solely on that, I would give it a 6. It's very realistic and has some parts that made me crack a smile. I even laughed a couple of times. It's pure and believable, for the most part. Some argument has been raised on here as to whether or not it isn't, and although you could argue both ways, I think it was truthful for the most part, and not too fantastical.
Even if it isn't or is, however, what's the point? The storyline is a guy in a normal marriage looking for spice and a girl in a marriage that she is questioning start spending time together. There is an attraction beyond friendship, but both somewhat realize that there's point to delve into it. A bit of emotion, a bit of fun, and we have a weak story that really doesn't say much. It's just indulgent directing carried along by a bland but well-told story. I would have cast Murray too, as his quirky humor did lift this movie on occasion.
As for all the people who think that the humor borders on racial stereotyping, if you were in Japan, and you finally found someone you could identify with after many days of quasi-alienation, I think you'd quickly try and find a way to identify as well as you could with the only person who is willing and able to give you attention. The barrier of language is tough, and that point is made well by the movie.
However, this movie suffered from the beginning. There really is no story. It's subtle, but more because it's not really inspired; there is no contention.
I got a very Salinger-esquire feel from it, in a way. It's just a story that tries to make something out of nothing. It's not particularly aware, it's not particularly funny, it's not particularly enlightening, and yet there is a tiny piece of all of that in it.
6/10