Honey And Clover (DVD) (English Subtitled) (US Version) DVD Region 1

Having never read the comic nor watched the anime, the basic story of Honey and Clover's film adaptation has apparently been slightly changed - Takemoto (boy band Arashi member Sho Sakurai) is an art student under the tutelage of Professor Hanamoto, whose parties bring him and art students Mayama (Ryo Kase) and Yamada (Megumi Seki) together. At the party in the opening scene, Takemoto is introduced to Hagu (Yu Aoi), Hanamoto's cousin's daughter who recently entered the school on a scholarship, and Takemoto falls instantly in love. However, trouble enters in the form of Takemoto's neighbor Morita (Yusuke Iseya), a popular talented older student with a bit of an artistic temperament who has just returned from one of his long trips away. Morita is instantly impressed by Hagu's abstract paintings, and Hagu, in turn, begins to admire Morita's sculpting skills.

Meanwhile, Yamada is infatuated with Mayama, but Mayama himself is hopelessly in love with his boss Rika (Naomi Nishida), even to the point of stalking her and collecting her objects. Even when Mayama outright rejects Yamada, she remains head-over-heels in love with him for some inexplicable reason. When these five come together for Morita's gallery opening, an impulsive trip to the beach will change a few things.

Much like its source material, Honey and Clover is more concerned with romance than being a sharp satire of art school (even though it does have gentle nudges here and there), and that's okay for some. Takada obviously cares about the source material enough to make changes that make the adaptation stand on its own rather than a carbon copy, but without the potential bite it might have had as a satire, it's hard to see the appeal of the film beyond the fans of the original comic. Considering Mayama's creepier aspects, it is never quite apparent what Yamada sees in him; despite Takemoto's role as the protagonist, he is the weakest character in the film; and even when Honey and Clover can be a character piece, there's not much character development in the script (co-written by Takada), nor is there much of a plot to drive them.

Nevertheless, there are things to like about Honey and Clover even for outsiders like me. The occasional humor may seem jarring (particularly in the form of two over-the-top gallery owners) even for a dramedy, but much of it works, and it adds amusing moments to an overlong script. Yu Aoi rightfully earns her Best Actress award (for this and her performance in Hula Girls) at the Blue Ribbon Awards by giving the best performances out of the five as the shy and talented Hagu. Having only seen her in Hana and Alice, Hagu is a somewhat more difficult character to play, and Yu injects just the right amount of shyness and cuteness to create a Hagu that is likable instead of eccentric to an annoying degree.

From what I've read about Honey and Clover, it's really a story about the passing days of youth, and that it has been life-changing for some people. Unfortunately, Takada sticks mostly to the romance aspects of the story. While the love triangles in Honey and Clover can be affecting, I wonder if that's what college life is all about. Romance seem to have a real impact on these characters' lives, as it can affect their careers and even their arts. This may be how Takada handles the film's comic origins, but it clashes with the down-to-earthness of his stylistic approach. Honey and Clover may be a serviceable teen romance flick with satisfying performances and enough humor to keep the proceedings interesting, but underneath it all, it's also a little empty.

by Kevin Ma