*Note: I will be taking a short diversion from dramas to some movies for a few posts*
The Gist: High school students Koizumi Risa (Fujisawa Ema) and Otani Atsushi (Koike Teppei) both have complexes about their height – Risa is freakishly tall and Otani is unusually short. Their similar temperaments get them a reputation as a comedy duo at their school, which turns into a tight friendship. That friendship however begins to change when Risa realizes she might have deeper feelings for Otani, but it turns out to be difficult to get past how ridiculous they look together. Otani’s not sure he feels the same about Risa and when she meets his short, cute ex-girlfriend, Risa thinks she knows why.
Love:
1.The Casting
A movie like this, based on such an exaggerated anime makes
me nervous for a live action adaptation. I mean, tall red headed Asian chicks
aren’t exactly common and Risa has to be seriously silly. That said, I think
Ema and Teppei did a fantastic job as their characters. They have great
chemistry both as friends and potential shippers. Also, Mighty (Tanihara
Shosuke) was spot on as both ridiculous, but a good guide for Otani and Risa.
2.The Comedy
One of the best parts
of this show (anime and movie) is the comedic element. All the characters have
brilliant moments of pure silliness that somehow doesn’t come off as totally
ridiculous. Luckily, the comedy is balanced with the right amount of sincerity
that the show doesn’t go off the deep end. It’s not a particularly difficult
premise and on some level, Risa and Otani’s complexes are really funny,
especially when the two of them are together. Their face offs are the best part
of the movie.
3. The Ending
No spoilers. I just wasn’t sure how far into the story we
were going to get with the movie, since obviously it only has an hour and a
half to amend the story. So while I was worried about how decent of an ending
we were going to get, the movie changes the story appropriately so that you
feel like you haven’t missed anything by the end of it.
4. The Concert Scene
There isn’t a great insight into this, but I love it when
Risa asks Otani to go to a concert, but then later lets him off to go see his
ex. She’s at the concert by herself, starting to feel lonely and crying. Then
she trips and scrapes her knee, when who shows up, but our lovely Otani. It’s
not unexpected or original, but I love it anyway.
Meh:
1.The Friends
Otani and Risa are surrounded by four friends who are paired
off themselves. Obviously, this puts extra pressure on Risa and Otani to get
together romantically. There’s nothing wrong with the casting or the
characters, except for maybe Nobu (Tamaki Nami) who is a bit too pushy. Still,
I felt that they were left a bit stereotypically popular and shy and didn’t
really get into their individual personalities. Again, though, that’s the
drawback to the short timeline of a movie versus a show.
Hate:
1. Risa’s Sister
But really though, Risa’s sister is a total creeper. I’d say most of the worst scenes are when Risa’s
in her room at home, talking to her sister. I have no idea what she’s supposed
to be adding to the story, other than the fact that Risa’s entire family seems
to be a little bit nuts.
2. Risa’s Birthday
This is a scene that happens in the anime and not in the
movie. So if you’re only watching the movie, this isn’t really a bad thing, but
Risa’s birthday is my favorite part of the anime and I’m sad it didn’t make it
in to the movie.
So:
So… the movie stays true to the source material, but real
fans will probably miss some scenes. The casting is well done, with our leads
as both adorable and hilarious. Good for something light and fun, with only
minor problems.
Final Grade: B+
Picture credit: dramacrazy.net
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