serenely beautiful film from hiroshi ishikawa.brilliant cinematography and top notch acting. i was really overwhelmed by the innate silence in this film.the minimalist dialogue really adds a new dimension to this film.there is almost non-existent back ground music which only increases the atmospheric feel.long drawn shots of the actors as they go through the gamut of emotions accentuates this effect.perhaps no film i've ever seen so easily proves that sometimes words don't matter,silence speaks volumes. aoi miyazaki gives a superlative performance as the teenage yu and later is followed suit by hiromi nagasaku as the older version. the plot in itself is pretty simple.it is the actors and the direction which makes watching this film worthwhile. the average movie-goer might find this film frustrating.watch it only if you are willing to put up with the silence. definitely a film i'm immensely glad i watched.

I felt Ishikawa's previous film, Tokyo.Sora, set out to make boring an accomplishment so I wasn't interested in seeing this until I discovered Hiromi Nagasaku in "Don't Laugh at My Romance" and "Funuke Show Some Love, You Losers!". She's a very versatile actress who elevates every film she's in and brings the necessary talent to make this low-key character study work. The script and story here aren't much, typical melodrama, but Nagasaku, and her younger self counterpart played by Aoi Miyazaki, are truly engaging. I could literally see their thought and emotional processes. If you are going to leave the camera on an actor for minutes at a time without any dialog, you better have good actors. The director's signature long, pale, landscapey photography compliments well here.

Yu has a crush on her classmate Yosuke, a jock who has recently decided to quit baseball to devote himself to music. They meet everyday after school at the floodgates in town. Yosuke strums his guitar, playing the same song over and over again, while Yu sits nearby unendingly entertained by this as only a lovestruck girl can be. Often they say nothing...there's a mutual attraction, but inexperienced in love neither of them knows how to initiate it. It's this silence that makes the movie so beautiful (though I know many others may be bored to death by it). But to me it feels so realistic, bringing back all those awkward torturous moments one spent with a crush trying to gather the courage to say something but coming up with nothing or too scared to say anything.The first half of the film is told from Yu's perspective. Aoi Miyazaki, is wonderful as young Yu. A girl who's every emotion is shown on her face. Eita as young Yosuke, isn't given as much room to shine. Since it is from Yu's point of view, he's often slightly out of focus, while the camera zooms in on Miyazaki. But he's good looking enough and he gives off a rebellious vibe that makes it understandable why Yu would be attracted to him. Both portrayals are incredibly realistic, in that they look and move like real teenagers, hard for me to describe how, it just rang true. The cinematography is dreary, an overcast of grays and muted greens. We don't see them interact with really anyone else but each other, creating a sense of loneliness. But the inanity of their conversations and the small smiles they give each other gives the movie levity. And their youth gives a sense of hope that if not today, maybe tomorrow they'll be able to express their feelings.The second half is told from Yosuke's perspective. He hasn't seen Yu in 17 years. They didn't have a grand love affair and he hasn't become a musician, and is obviously disappointed with life. Coincidentally, one of his biggest regrets, Yu, comes back into his life, giving him a second chance. Yeah, it's a contrived plot point, but it's done well and the scene where they recognize each other after all those years is cute. This second half wasn't as strong for me as the first. Oddly because they talk more here, taking away some of the tension that the silences created in the first half. Yet it's an interesting contrast to the first half. Here they are older, more experienced with the rules of romantic flirtation. There's a boldness in the way they question each other, knowing what they didn't know then, that there won't always be a next time. They delve deeper into each other's psyches, there isn't the silliness of their teenage conversations. Yet despite this they still don't talk about what is perhaps the most important to them. It's obvious that after all these years they still have feelings for one another but are still too scared to admit it.Overall the film is beautiful. There isn't much plot or action or dialog...but this isn't a detriment to it. Instead it makes all those small moments, the sidelong glances they give each other, the way they seem to be afraid to look directly at each other, much more meaningful, taking on an angst-ridden quality that restrainedly doesn't descend into tragedy. For all it's moodiness, this is still a film that believe there's hope in love.

The film opens to a black screen, and suddenly a person's voice is overheard, they say, "Hey Yosuke… Do you remember? I remember…" and thus begins the beautiful film that is Su-Ki-Da (Japanese for "I Love You"). When I heard about this film a couple of months ago, and was fortunate to be able to view the trailer, I was instantly enthralled by the beautiful visuals that were presented in the trailer. I was finally able to obtain a copy of the movie (which has been recently released on DVD), and I can tell you this, I wasn't prepared for what the film had in store, visually as well as emotionally.The film follows the lives of Yu and Yosuke, and the story spans from their teenage years all the way to their adulthood. Yu has a major crush on Yosuke, but she doesn't know how to express her feelings to him, but there is also a slight problem; Yosuke likes Yu's older sister…and you can probably tell by now there are going to be some problems that arise from this. We flash forward 17 years later, in which Yu and Yosuke run into each other by accident, and old feelings and regrets begin to come forth.What I loved about this film was that each actor played their parts so convincingly; you become absorbed into their world and truly care about the relationship of the two main characters and what the outcome of it will be. From the awkward moments of the characters trying to convey their feelings through words….but just can't, to the emotional reunion when they are adults, it's all presented so realistically that it hurts. Even though there is little dialogue throughout the film, the characters body language says more than any words could ever express.As for the acting, it was superb to say the least; Actors Aoi Miyazaki (who plays Yu) and Eita (Who plays Yosuke) are fantastic in their roles of the young Yu and Yosuke. When the film shifts to their adult lives, Hiromi Nagasaku (who plays adult Yu) and Hidetoshi Nishijima (who plays adult Yosuke) takeover and were able to deliver the similar appearance of their youthful counterparts as well as their mannerisms. The cast did a great job, and the traversing between young adult to adulthood was handle very well. This film also had a lot of close-up shots of the characters, which made the film seem even more intimate.One thing I just have to comment about though is the beautiful cinematography. Director Hiroshi Ishikawa is able give each shot an amazing amount of depth and emotion, and it certainly lends the film a poetic touch. Most of the film was done with an earthly color tone, giving the characters and backdrops a dull look, and it totally enhances the film's overall presences. The pacing of the film seemed a little slow at first, but definitely picks up, as well as builds up towards its conclusion.For my final statement regarding Su-Ki-Da, is that it was a pleasure for me to watch, and I was spellbound every minute of it. It's the kind of film that will definitely stick with you long after you've seen it, mainly because of its heartfelt story. From the excellent visuals all the way to its great cast, Su-Ki-Da is a film that will definitely be in my collection. A notable classic in my books, I greatly recommend it.p.s.: visit isugoi.com for more reviews