Mr. Thank You

The rapid modernization of the world post-WWII came with a lot of ups and downs, and people everywhere had to decide what they wanted the future to look like, Japan especially. Mr. Thank You distills a lot of that conversation into a bus ride, with the coming and goings of customers as they interact with one another. The microcosm society of the bus, shared with the public, is humbling, and yet few ever truly make large, sweeping changes in their lives based on just one interaction with a stranger. You’d need several. Hopefully, like the migratory birds, they all meet again, but that’s wishful thinking. Only the titular “Mr. Thank You” has this privilege and it has tuned him into the plight of others, granting him empathy for his fellow person. The simple composition and small space of the bus interior is so perfect for this film and each exit we see the rider that just got off fade into the distance, a reminder that while we leave them behind, they still have their own journeys to attend to

The rapid modernization of the world post-WWII came with a lot of ups and downs, and people everywhere had to decide what they wanted the future to look like, Japan especially. Mr. Thank You distills a lot of that conversation into a bus ride, with the coming and goings of customers as they interact with one another. The microcosm society of the bus, shared with the public, is humbling, and yet few ever truly make large, sweeping changes in their lives based on just one interaction with a stranger. You’d need several. Hopefully, like the migratory birds, they all meet again, but that’s wishful thinking. Only the titular “Mr. Thank You” has this privilege and it has tuned him into the plight of others, granting him empathy for his fellow person. The simple composition and small space of the bus interior is so perfect for this film and each exit we see the rider that just got off fade into the distance, a reminder that while we leave them behind, they still have their own journeys to attend to

i learn how to say thank you in Japan eventho saying arigato to everyone is my habit

i learn how to say thank you in Japan eventho saying arigato to everyone is my habit

I will never get bored of this movie

I will never get bored of this movie

A truly decent, kind-hearted film

A truly decent, kind-hearted film

Sure it feels easygoing, comedic and straightforward, but this is really a depressing window into a troubled time in Japanese history - filled with poverty and on the brink of financial collapse, where people would sell their own children to survive. The narrative is told through different passengers with different views and philosophies, the conversations are intriguing and the plot is real easy to follow, ‘Mr. Thank You’ literally drives the plot forward with a bus, smiling and saying ‘Arigato’ to all the poor people in the road.

And how you gonna have such a lighthearted and optimistic soundtrack to a movie about a 17-Year old, on her way to Tokyo, to be sold into sexual slavery? 🤨

And some scenes do feel dragged out and you can definitely feel the age - but it’s still really interesting. It’s on YouTube!

Sure it feels easygoing, comedic and straightforward, but this is really a depressing window into a troubled time in Japanese history - filled with poverty and on the brink of financial collapse, where people would sell their own children to survive. The narrative is told through different passengers with different views and philosophies, the conversations are intriguing and the plot is real easy to follow, ‘Mr. Thank You’ literally drives the plot forward with a bus, smiling and saying ‘Arigato’ to all the poor people in the road.

And how you gonna have such a lighthearted and optimistic soundtrack to a movie about a 17-Year old, on her way to Tokyo, to be sold into sexual slavery? 🤨

And some scenes do feel dragged out and you can definitely feel the age - but it’s still really interesting. It’s on YouTube!