Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Married Baby Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Camilla Stein Explaining this movie, The Japanese Wife, won't be so easy – such are all films that aim to bridge barriers, break walls and create a new realm of understanding, based on a newly discovered perception of a common ground that's always been there, but was kept unnoticed for some unknown reason.Released in April 2010, the movie clearly attempts to link two worlds, and not just the commonly known main stream version of these worlds, but goes deeper, touches the underlining matter that makes up the society of both cultures, the Indian and the Japanese. Shows life the way it really is, not the way it is being fed off the screen - a long lasting trend in the modern mass media.Shows how love can go by without a physical element. Doesn't deny the need of a physical contact yet achieves a neat balance and doesn't distort the image of platonic love.It is also a story of selfless service to the loved ones and the community, a sacrifice and a lesson of priorities, telling you what really matters. Because of one man's commitment and dedication, and his insider's link into 'all things Japanese', something beautiful and memorable happened in a far away Indian village.With a hint of humor, this love story nearly lands you inside a tearful tragedy, stripping you off a so needed explanation of what happened out there. And then in the matter of seconds you fly on the wings of hope towards the light that only true love can bring you to.There is an undeniable charm in the way this story floats from one corner of the Earth to another. A word should also be said about one striking feature that some might still find subject to a profound neglect - the source of strength, coming from the feminine spirit, overtaking and inspiring. The power of women.Filled with passion, the story is narrated in a very calm and simplistic way. Yes, somewhat minimalistic too. Tells how little we need to be happy. The makers of this movie managed to create an impression of haiku , with character's reflections captured almost in slow motion, so that the viewer can pause and gaze and allow the touchdown to happen within one's heart. But, like is the case with all haiku, worded, painted or now filmed, it often goes unappreciated and misunderstood, and always takes time to sink in. Not every one might find it immediately thrilling and amazing. Yet, in the end, it is.And so is the final verdict – definitely worth it.

Purnendu Dey (purnenduvianworld) The malleability of the plausible emotions of the lead characters of the film under the director's realistic hammer blows is one of the features which makes 'The Japanese Wife' a treat to watch. The slow pace touches upon the various chords of a sensible heart. The two star-crossed spouses residing in far-off places fall in love and eventually marry without actually meeting each other in person, yet their love is far more loyal and inextricable than those lovers or spouses who stay together. But, their simple lifestyle and righteousness do them in at last. Poetic justice is not meted out and this makes the plot all the more plausible. Given the profound dynamism and the many facets of human emotions that run crisscross along the length & breadth of the movie, one is sure to identify with the pristine humanity of the characters. Minimalism in music and natural, yet far from being a dime a dozen, musically lyrical words and sentences coupled with a haunting silence of death touch up the aggravating pathos of the characters till the very end.

MartinHafer Before you decide to watch this movie on DVD, there is something you might want to know. The subtitles are in difficult to read font and are yellow, and at times, they are a bit hard to read. It's hard to imagine that the people distributing the film would do such a haphazard job of captioning the film--and it's a shame.The plot of this film is a lot like the Anne Bancroft/Anthony Hopkins film, "84 Charing Cross Road" in that it is told through a very long series of letters back and forth between the male and female lead. Despite having a very strong attachment, the male and female leads go for many years without seeing each other! Muyage is a woman living in Japan. Snehamoy is a Bengali man living in India and most of the film is shown from his perspective. They are pen pals and through the course of the film they exchange many letters which are narrated for the audience. Over time, they fall in love but cannot do much about it, as they are both poor. Yet, because they are so painfully shy, they do not see anyone in their own country. Eventually they hit on the idea of getting married--though they still have not actually met...and even after their marriage (there is no actual ceremony) they do not meet! Years pass this way as they exchange letters and grow separately...yet together.Problems arise, however, when a widow and her young son move in with him and his aunt. After all, this widow is the same lady that the aunt tried to get Snehamoy to marry years earlier. She, like Snehamoy, is painfully shy...but you can also very slowly see something might be blossoming between them...very, very slowly. And, you can also see the young boy beginning to bond more and more with Snehamoy--seeing him as a bit of a father figure. In the meantime, Miyage becomes ill--so ill that Snehamoy is worried she will die, so he takes off time from work and runs from doctor to healer to try to get them to diagnose a woman living 3600 miles from India (trust me, I recently measured it)! What will become of these nice people? Overall, I was very impressed by the very slow and deliberate pace of the film. It was obviously a labor of love, though some might be a bit put off by the very restrained and emotionally constricted acting. It is a film about people--not about action or great displays of emotion. As a result, I assume many, if not most viewers (who are unfortunately boobs) probably will not enjoy the film very much and much of the film's beauty and artistry will be lost on them. Yes, I am apparently a snob and assume the worst of many viewers--especially teens and the chronically dumb. But, if you are willing to watch such a film, give this one a try. It's original (despite its similarity to this other film) and engaging...if you give it a chance. Just be forewarned, this film, at times, is rather heart-breaking--it's not a predictable romantic feel-good film. Seriously...think about this before picking this film.By the way, there was one aspect of the film I did NOT love. Seeing the male lead apparently masturbating in one scene was kind of yucky. No, they didn't show this but it was clear this was occurring. I did, however, like a scene soon after this where you THINK this is occurring...but it isn't. That's pretty clever.

billcr12 You won't take your eyes off the screen from the opening scene to the closing credits of "The Japanese Wife." Although this is a simple love story, it's visual style and look reminded me of another great Indian film, "Water" which also had a female director, Deepa Mehta. Aparna Sen, the director of "The Japanese Wife" uses the visual beauty of India, especially the rivers, as effectively as the cinematography of "Water." The acting is superb, as Rahul Bose and Chigusa Takaku as the star-crossed spouses are excellent. The supporting cast, mainly the aunt (Moushoumi Chatterjee) and a little boy(Rudranil Ghosh) are both very good. The story is a very basic one showing 2 people of vastly different cultures falling in love via letter writing. The universal message of loneliness and yearning are depicted in a very interesting way.Even as a cynical American, I cannot recommend this film highly enough.