Movie Digest
Osamu Yamada, along with a few of his drinking buddies Goro, Toshiki, and Akira, forms the band “Osamu Yamada and Hello Nights”. Their other friend Kazuo joins in later, taking responsibility for their debt. But after ten years, the bandmates are barely getting on by. They haven’t released a hit yet. They are able to earn the bare minimum by touring in small towns with Kitty Iwaki, who is a singer and a seasoned performer. One day they are invited to Osamu’s hometown to perform. His younger brother Eiji is not happy about his return. There they meet Ai. She is friends with Eiji’s son and she helps her mother run a bar. Her dream is to be a singer one day. She pleads with them to let her join their band.
The Feel Good Part
Some of the musical numbers are nice. Overall the atmosphere is warm and somewhat appeals to the older audience. The veteran actors try to bring out the camaraderie between the group of lifelong friends and the different dynamics between the characters are interesting to watch.
The Disappointing Factor
The plot is fairly predictable. The cinematography is half-hearted and the movie is bland. The characters are underdeveloped.
In-Depth Analysis
Aimed for the senior demographic, this film is about a group of old men reminiscing about their youthful aspirations. The story is nothing new, but the way it is handled doesn’t evoke anything from the audience. The conversations are boring and unoriginal.
The characters are either getting arguing or singing. As a writer, nothing irks me more than underdeveloped characters. They could have written the script with more nuance to portray a story about the golden years of life. Actress Non is grossly underutilized here. She would have added a lot of dimensions to the story had she been given focus and a better, more fleshed-out role.
The “follow your dreams” angle is nothing new. But I felt very disappointed with the lack of effort shown in the execution. The music is ordinary and borders on annoying. The general aesthetic is bland and unconvincing.
Star Power
Ishii LaSalle, Komiya Takayasu, Denden, Daikichi Sugawara, and Arizono Yoshiki, try their best to carry this film. In the more watchable parts of the film, they are very nice to watch and try to add as much depth as they can to their characters.
For being the main character of the film, Non is ironically given as less focus as she deserves, compared to her more veteran co-actors. She however manages to steal the scene whenever she is present and her voice is unforgettable. Toda Keiko and Aitsuki Akiko add in some charming performances as well.
Overall Opinion
The film had potential, however, it is sadly out of focus and hackneyed. It had an amazing cast of veteran actors and wonderful performers, but their presence was wasted. The direction was bland and sloppy, and the script failed to deliver. For a movie named “Stardust Over the Town”, it has little to no sparkle.
