Japan without stereotypes Not megacities and skyscrapers, but villages lost in the thickets somewhere on the islands - such an unusual Japan shows the audience director Yuji Nakae. Even if his characters for some reason ended up in Tokyo, they still tend to go back to nature. And the characters of the film “Hibiscus Hotel” do not need to go anywhere – they already live in a small town on Okinawa and run on thick green grass.
Hotel Hibiscus is a family comedy, four stories about a cheerful family whose life at times resembles a carnival. This movie should be watched with children. The whole action revolves around the uncouth girl Mieko – she runs somewhere in the morning, screams very loudly (in the original language it sounds especially harsh), beats someone and generally enjoys life. The son said that Mieko is very similar to the famous Manjuna from the books of Narine Abgaryan. Such a clear sunshine. Other characters are also interesting in their own way: all the children in this international family are from different fathers, my mother works at night in a bar, my dad sleeps all day at a billiard table, and instead of a pet, Mieko has a cute soft green lizard. But children and parents get along quite peacefully: these adults have not fully matured. And the obnoxious child suddenly begins to ask serious questions, and the carnival fun is replaced by warm lyrics. All of this is easy and organic, for which I thank the director. In the most important places on the stage come Kijimun – local spirits.
Over these characters, the author also slightly ironic, but very softly. Kijimun is also a part of nature, good magical powers. They can just make you laugh, and sometimes they help you understand something, believe in yourself, and even in universal harmony. Mieko begins to understand what adults believe when he encounters the spirit of one of his ancestors. And in the next frame in the role of Kijimun suddenly appear American soldiers from a military base in Okinawa, disguised as trees.
In general, an unpretentious comedy without claims to alternativeness and depth of thought opened Japan to us beyond stereotypes. For some reason, the Japanese always seemed to me like such harsh guys, buttoned up, and then it turned out that they have a wonderful sense of humor and generally a very light attitude to everything that happens. There is much to learn.
9 out of 10