2018·Comedy·1h 35m
7.1
★
A lonely, chain-smoking office lady in Tokyo falls for her teacher when she decides to take English lessons. When her teacher disappears, she sets out on a journey to find him.
Directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi
california
tattoo
suicide attempt
tokyo, japan
english teacher
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Shinobu Terajima
Setsuko Kawashima / Lucy
Soseki Yamatoya
Suicide Man
Miyu Yagyu
Young Office Lady 1
Kayano Masuyama
Young Office Lady 2
Hajime Inoue
Boss
Suzuka Ohgo
Sakura
Shioli Kutsuna
Mika
Stefanie Arianne
Receptionist
Josh Hartnett
John
Koji Yakusho
Takeshi Komori / Tom
Kaho Minami
Ayako
Megan Mullally
Hannah
Crew
Atsuko Hirayanagi
Director
Boris Frumin
Screenplay
Atsuko Hirayanagi
Screenplay
Paula Huidobro
Director of Photography
Adam McKay
Executive Producer
Atsuko Hirayanagi
Producer
Will Ferrell
Executive Producer
Jessica Elbaum
Producer
Atsuko Hirayanagi
Original Film Writer
Emily Schweber
Casting
Cecilia Johnson
Stunts
Popular Reviews
21 reviews
Alex
6.0★ · 05/11/26
What kind of teacher is that ??
What kind of teacher is that ??
Kantoku KenjiPRO
5.0★ · 03/12/26
Man this film started out so strong, but towards the end everything that was built up in the first two acts just falls flat on its face.
The first two acts of the film were really good. Very funny. I love the set up if Setsuko and how she starts attending these weird English classes and starts enjoying them. Her dynamic with her sister too throughout the film is hilarious. With her sister being a bitch the whole time and her actually being kind, absolutely hilarious dynamic. The physical dry comedy is so funny as well. One of my favorite instances is the plane where there is a stranger sitting in-between the siblings. I also like the dynamic that "Tom" had with "Lucy". While it was very short it was enjoyable.
The whole dynamic of getting into LA and trying to find John was great as well. John being a bum and behind in rent. I really liked the angle of how shit of a person he was. What I didn't like was the relationship between Setsuko and John. That just came out of nowhere and felt weird and disgusting. This is where everything just turned me off of this film. I mean like the twists that came after this were not expected, but in the absolute worst way. The daughter that they were trying to find runs into Setsuko, but at that point she was absolutely absent from the entire movie up until that point. Then she just does something without any warning whatsoever, which left me shocked, but shocked in a "why was this narrative decision made". This decision was stupid. The rest of the film turns in its head and just felt like an absolute fever dream. I mean I have never felt this confused with a narrative decision until now.
The first two acts of the film were really good. Very funny. I love the set up if Setsuko and how she starts attending these weird English classes and starts enjoying them. Her dynamic with her sister too throughout the film is hilarious. With her sister being a bitch the whole time and her actually being kind, absolutely hilarious dynamic. The physical dry comedy is so funny as well. One of my favorite instances is the plane where there is a stranger sitting in-between the siblings. I also like the dynamic that "Tom" had with "Lucy". While it was very short it was enjoyable.
The whole dynamic of getting into LA and trying to find John was great as well. John being a bum and behind in rent. I really liked the angle of how shit of a person he was. What I didn't like was the relationship between Setsuko and John. That just came out of nowhere and felt weird and disgusting. This is where everything just turned me off of this film. I mean like the twists that came after this were not expected, but in the absolute worst way. The daughter that they were trying to find runs into Setsuko, but at that point she was absolutely absent from the entire movie up until that point. Then she just does something without any warning whatsoever, which left me shocked, but shocked in a "why was this narrative decision made". This decision was stupid. The rest of the film turns in its head and just felt like an absolute fever dream. I mean I have never felt this confused with a narrative decision until now.
Man this film started out so strong, but towards the end everything that was built up in the first two acts just falls flat on its face.
The first two acts of the film were really good. Very funny. I love the set up if Setsuko and how she starts attending these weird English classes and starts enjoying them. Her dynamic with her sister too throughout the film is hilarious. With her sister being a bitch the whole time and her actually being kind, absolutely hilarious dynamic. The physical dry comedy is so funny as well. One of my favorite instances is the plane where there is a stranger sitting in-between the siblings. I also like the dynamic that "Tom" had with "Lucy". While it was very short it was enjoyable.
The whole dynamic of getting into LA and trying to find John was great as well. John being a bum and behind in rent. I really liked the angle of how shit of a person he was. What I didn't like was the relationship between Setsuko and John. That just came out of nowhere and felt weird and disgusting. This is where everything just turned me off of this film. I mean like the twists that came after this were not expected, but in the absolute worst way. The daughter that they were trying to find runs into Setsuko, but at that point she was absolutely absent from the entire movie up until that point. Then she just does something without any warning whatsoever, which left me shocked, but shocked in a "why was this narrative decision made". This decision was stupid. The rest of the film turns in its head and just felt like an absolute fever dream. I mean I have never felt this confused with a narrative decision until now.
The first two acts of the film were really good. Very funny. I love the set up if Setsuko and how she starts attending these weird English classes and starts enjoying them. Her dynamic with her sister too throughout the film is hilarious. With her sister being a bitch the whole time and her actually being kind, absolutely hilarious dynamic. The physical dry comedy is so funny as well. One of my favorite instances is the plane where there is a stranger sitting in-between the siblings. I also like the dynamic that "Tom" had with "Lucy". While it was very short it was enjoyable.
The whole dynamic of getting into LA and trying to find John was great as well. John being a bum and behind in rent. I really liked the angle of how shit of a person he was. What I didn't like was the relationship between Setsuko and John. That just came out of nowhere and felt weird and disgusting. This is where everything just turned me off of this film. I mean like the twists that came after this were not expected, but in the absolute worst way. The daughter that they were trying to find runs into Setsuko, but at that point she was absolutely absent from the entire movie up until that point. Then she just does something without any warning whatsoever, which left me shocked, but shocked in a "why was this narrative decision made". This decision was stupid. The rest of the film turns in its head and just felt like an absolute fever dream. I mean I have never felt this confused with a narrative decision until now.
Lyssa Grace
7.0★ · 07/25/25
Girl THROW HIM AWAY 😭
I’m just realising I watched this after I made a joke about trap in my previous review oops my bad 🤭
Anyways I NEED to hear sweven’s thoughts on this <33
Girl THROW HIM AWAY 😭
I’m just realising I watched this after I made a joke about trap in my previous review oops my bad 🤭
Anyways I NEED to hear sweven’s thoughts on this <33
Theron
8.0★ · 08/30/23
Josh is so good.
Very funny when Komori says "I'm a hugger, what can I say" to the new teacher
Very funny when Komori says "I'm a hugger, what can I say" to the new teacher
Josh is so good.
Very funny when Komori says "I'm a hugger, what can I say" to the new teacher
Very funny when Komori says "I'm a hugger, what can I say" to the new teacher
ember
7.0★ · 12/13/22
i somehow always manage to find a movie that addresses the exact feelings i’m at odds with at the time. loneliness, human connection, missing josh hartnett. all combined into an odd, hilarious, and sad movie.
i somehow always manage to find a movie that addresses the exact feelings i’m at odds with at the time. loneliness, human connection, missing josh hartnett. all combined into an odd, hilarious, and sad movie.