2/10A useless film that will bore you and goes nowhere. No pay-off. I spoke to my friend and she said it is based on a true story. So what? Apparently not all 'true stories' need to be made into films. Especially ones where nothing happens and everything is boring.European woman meets Japanese man in Japan and they become teacher/student and friends. He mentions he is in a secret society. I was waiting for the intrigue waiting to see what the answer is. I guessed it is that he is gay and is on to 'her' that she is a man (based on 'her' looks) and that his parents are also in a same-sex marriage (you will know if you see his 'mother'). At the end it is as boring as the rest of the film and nothing happens.According to the end of the film this is a Canada/French production. I have nothing more to say.

Top marks for this excellently directed picture about a highly motivated Belgian who sets out to give French lessons and immediately meets the charming Rinri, whose parents happen to be quite extraordinarily eccentric and very rich. Soon they are making love in his home, and Amelie (Pauline Etienne) is over the moon. He takes her (and us) everywhere, including to a goods yard where some brightly illuminated trucks appear. She loves it, and so do we. This is simply an adorable film with a suitably sad ending, highly recommended.

SPOILERSAmelie (Pauline Etienne) returns to Japan after many years of being away. Everyone speaks very fast! Such energy. Amelie even speaks of the energy and happiness she feels. Right off, I notice the neat, organized gardens, even at the houses near the train tracks. She starts teaching French to a rich Japanese boy "Rinri", played by Taichi Inoue. Although he seems to know just as much francais as she does. My first thought was: rich kid hires a tutor to find a girlfriend. Was kind of fun to hear the mix of Japanese and French, as they meet up with Rinri's friends. We also see all the fun Japanese gadgets, and the dekotora. Funny scene of the old man singing over the transit trains... where no-one will be disturbed. They could have left out the scene where Amelie sings her corny "happy" song. Beautiful scenes of the Japanese countryside when she goes hiking. The whole length of the film, we are wondering, as Amelie is wondering, "Where is this going?" It got a bit confusing. At first, the flashes into her mind are amusing, but sometimes its difficult to know what is real and what she is thinking in her mind. Fine performances by Etienne and Inoue. This was the first and only film for Inoue so far, but Etienne has done many. Directed by Stefan Liberski, who has worked in films for many years. Story by Amélie Nothomb... note that this is also the name of our lead. Wonder if this is also her story. Sad ending. Clearly the relationship went the way that the author wanted (or experienced in real life) or she could have taken steps to keep the relationship alive. This received such (un-deserved) low ratings on netflix. It's not bad. Pretty good.

Amélie (Pauline Ètienne) is a twenty year old Belgian expatriate, French tutor living in Japan. When Rinri's (Taichi Inoue) well-to-do father hires Amélie to teach his son, the two quickly fall in love. Although Amélie was born in Japan and adores everything about its culture, she painfully learns that that is not enough to be accepted in Japanese society. Will Rinri, a closet Francophile and lover of Yakuza film, find the balance needed to present Amélie to his family as an honorable Japanese woman? Pauline Ètienne's Amélie shares the quirkiness of Audrey Tautou's character in the film of the same name ("Amélie"), all the allure of Scarlett Johansson's Charlotte from "Lost in Translation," and the gullibility of Shirley MacLaine's Charity Hope Valentine of "Sweet Charity." What separates "Tokyo Fiancée" from the aforementioned trio of hopeless romantic tales is the absolutely breathtaking scenery that cameraman Hichame Alaouié deftly captures. "Tokyo Fiancée" is a cinematic engagement worth accepting.