From award-winning director Hiroshi Okuhara (
Timeless Melody and
Nami) comes
A Blue Automobile (
Aoi Kuruma), a stylish tale of modern Japanese youth! Based on a manga by Yoshimoto Yoshitomo, the film stars Arata (from
Afterlife and
Ping Pong) in his first leading role after a three year absence from film. With his spiky bleached blond hair, dark shades, and pale complexion, the twentysomething Richi (Arata) is most assuredly an enigmatic individual. Working as a part-time DJ and a record store employee, the man gives off an aura of eternal cool, but this image only serves as a mask to hide a trauma buried deep in Richi's past. Left with a scarred eye and a wounded spirit thanks to a childhood accident, Richi still feels the psychological burden of that past incident weighing down on him in the present day. Thus, over the years, he's been transformed into the kind of dark and brooding loner type that's sure to attract the interest of the female crowd. And attract ladies he does, as Richi has not only captured the affections of his career-driven, real estate agent girlfriend Akemi (Kumiko Aso), but also found an admirer in Akemi's sexually-liberated teenaged sister, Konomi (Ai Miyazaki)! It's in the middle of this complex love triangle that Richi is finally compelled to expose his hidden pain and come to grips with his own personal demons.
Director Hiroshi Okuhara and his co-scriptwriter Kosuke Mukai (Hazy Life) take an economical approach to A Blue Automobile's offbeat storyline, imbuing the narrative with a naturalistic feel that brings the film's diverse cast of characters to life. Featuring a supporting performance by Tomoro Taguchi as Richi's record store boss, A Blue Automobile isn't your typical movie about twentysomething angst, but a crackerjack film experience built of equal parts style and heart!
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