Don't believe the reviews of this movie. This movie shocks and upsets the audience repeatedly. The main character is unlikable. Her actions are inexplicable. Several times she goes out of her way to try to destroy people for no particular reason. The rest of the time she seems withdrawn and empty. The main character is a forty-ish woman in Tokyo who takes an English class where she has to don a crazy blond wig and adopt an American name. Josh Hartnett plays the English teacher. Not a bad premise, but it is surrounded by darkness.FROM HERE ON THIS REVIEW IS FULL OF SPOILERSIn the beginning of the movie someone jumps to their death in a train station. The main character, "Lucy" lives in a hoarded up apartment, and seems largely empty when she is not destroying someone for no reason. She horribly insults a heavy, older co-worker at that woman's retirement party. The woman has worked for the company for forty years. Lucy tells her, apropos of nothing, that she is a fat loser and the other workers say she is delusional behind her back.The English teacher is Lucy's niece's boyfriend. Apropos of very little, Lucy decides to follow him to California and try to steal him. It's hard to see what is driving this character, who seems empty, vacant, and devoid of humanity and feminity. The one sex scene is devoid of sensuality. Lucy basically sexually assaults Josh Hartnett's character while he is stuck in a car seat. Then more happens. In keeping with the rules for movie sex scenes, this one is devoid of foreplay. This from an artsy female director.Josh Hartnett's character and Lucy's niece have matching tattoos of the word "Love" on their forearms. Although he would like to forget their car encounter, after it Lucy goes out and gets a duplicate of this tattoo on HER forearm. Lucy, her sister, and the English teacher catch up with the niece in San Diego where she fled to escape problems in her relationship that predated Lucy. Lucy and her niece find an unusually precarious sea cliff to sit and talk. It is here that Lucy chooses to reveal that she has slept with her young niece's boyfriend. The young woman jumps from the cliff and appears to have died.Later you see she is alive but seriously messed up. Back in Tokyo Lucy attempts suicide by taking pills from a blister pack after being fired from her job. Presumably she was fired for her abusive outburst against her older co-worker. She is saved by a fellow student from her English class who comes by her apartment. Miraculously he cures her overdose by shooting water into her mouth from a shower attachment, cause apparently that's how that works in Japan. Then she vomits. Then she tries to get it on with him, but he says, "You're not yourself right now." That's the end.

Even though the movie was Japanese, it could easily have been an American Indie movie. Complex characters and issues that can't result be resolved. No simple answers here

It is compelling how filmmaker Atsuko succeeds in stitching the many lighthearted comic moments so seamlessly with the more pressing and raw emotions that Lucy (Setsuko) struggles with as the film unfolds. She hardly verbalizes her emotions yet you could almost feel her character tugging wildly at your heartstrings. Lucy's naivety and a certain aura of innocence is captured so profoundly in Shinobu Terajima's plausible performance. The stellar cast as a whole delivers a sincere and heartfelt performance, complimenting each others conflicting personalities so effortlessly despite the language barrier. It was intriguing to see how diverse cultural differences have the potential to influence and ignite our latent desires for better or for worse. In the case of Setsuko, her humdrum life as a singleton middle aged Japanese office worker, turns giddy high when she stumbles upon John (Josh Hartnett), an unconventional English teacher from the US in the most unexpected of circumstances. His quirky techniques of teaching English which incorporates the need for her to take on a more liberal persona as Lucy, propels Setsuko to dare to delve deeper into her being and scratch the core to unveil an audacious side of her which will excite and overwhelm her beyond what she could possibly fathom. A side that leaves you questioning who she really is. Hailing from a conservative society, her sudden sense of liberation is hard to ignore when the plot quickly escalates and you find Lucy shedding her inhibitions recklessly in the US. She throws caution to the wind in her dealings with John and unabashedly proclaims that she is in love with him. But somehow you cant help but wonder if she genuinely feels for John or perhaps she is just wildly in love with her newfound freedom and persona which is tagged to John, as he is ultimately the catalyst that set her off on this journey of self discovery. Peppered with unexpected events, messy family feuds and raw human connections, the film slowly unravels the tainted sides of the key characters which somewhat serves to showcase the imperfections and complexities of life. When Lucy finally comes to her senses and finds herself in a boulevard of broken dreams and unrequited love, her character reveals a more vulnerable side of her once again which was what first captured our hearts in the beginning. We are reminded she is essentially only human and still deserving of empathy, despite her onslaught of arbitrary decisions that led to her downfall.A glimmer of hope comes in the form of Tom, an endearing saviour who leaves us feeling hopeful for Lucy and her shot at true love. Overall a film that succeeded in capturing an honest glimpse of human connections without romanticizing life, with a bold take on cultural differences sans being stereotypical or condescending that left me with a comforting reminder of hope when the odds are stacked against us.

Tokyo train station, overcast skies and a shout of "good bye" as a man jumps on the tracks in front of a train. Setsuko witnesses the suicide on the way to the office and her dull routine. She is middle-aged, lonely and unhappy. Perhaps she could snap like this. When Setsuko receives an invitation from her niece Mika to attend advanced English lessons, the classes provide unexpected light and warmth in her life. John, the foreign teacher, loosens Setsuko up with hugs, humor, role-play and a new nickname; Lucy. However, just as suddenly as John releases Setsuko from her funk, he disappears. Setsuko goes in search of him across an ocean, and goes even farther within herself.Combining humor with seriousness and sincerity, the film reveals the wonders of what travel can do. It takes us outside ourselves and reveals truths that would not have been revealed if we stayed in our bubbles. It shows us our strengths and weaknesses, the good and bad. The film also shows that the difference between Japan and America goes beyond language. The Japanese are generally not as outgoing as Americans. There is not much in the way of touching or hugs. The Japanese are good at wearing masks. People like Setsuko go unnoticed and suicide is a big problem. It is wonderful that the director is giving a voice to those like Setsuko. While the transitions between scenes are a little funky and the story could use development in places, it is a charming and interesting story. The actors are experienced and adept at their roles. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.