Movie Digest
Shingo is a master builder, a ladies’ man yet a devoted family man. Into his world, a young fatherless boy Ryusei enters. Shingo forms an immediate bond with him and his mother.
His bond with the boy creates issues with his daughter Kanna and adopted son and apprentice Takashi.
The story is all about the relationships unraveling and being rebuilt just like the homes Shingo builds.
The Feel-Good Part
A rib-tickling family drama with brilliant performances and visuals.
The Disappointing Factor
The movie tends to get philosophical towards the end.
In-Depth Analysis
Family is the center of human emotions and this is the core of the movie. Shingo is master builder who takes pride in his work and creations. He has a understanding wife who gets his creative temperament and overlooks his trysts with the ladies. Shingo is also a traditionalist who believes in the male-female construct. This outlook alienates him from his daughter Kanna, who is talented yet not groomed to be his successor. He has an adopted son and apprentice Takashi who wishes to learn and take over Shingo work yet he is not given the due respect.
During his one of his rendez-vous with a pretty woman Mei, he meets her son Ryusei. Mei has an ulterior motive as she wants to sell Shingo an insurance policy and she gets him to sign it. But it is the fatherless and lonely Ryusei who captures Shingo’s heart and he steps in to play the role of the father.
This relationship between Shingo and Ryusei creates resentment in Shingo’s family. Is Shingo able to bring his family back together and is there an attitudinal change in Shingo is the story.
Star Power
Stellar cast and each actor play their character brilliantly especially Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi as Shingo.
Overall Opinion
It is a good watch on a lazy afternoon. The warning is the movie will tug your heartstrings.
