The Exam (1999)
Togashi, an enthusiastic marathon runner and his wife are occupied with their daughter Mayumi's grade school entrance examinations, but he becomes jobless when his company folds. To regain his confidence Togashi decides to join the marathon that is taking place on the very day of his daughter's examination and the all important interview.
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One of my all time favorites.
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
I'm not really clued up on whether the Japanese are so extreme as to put 6 year olds and their families through rigorous examinations and IQ tests before allowing them to enter a better than average elementary school. However if they are then this film parodies this and at the same time deals with the midlife crises of the father. It also looks at role reversal in the home - father becomes the homemaker and mother goes out selling tombstones. There is a scene where the little girl gets slapped (not shown but heard) by her mother for not wanting to greet their guests and that may not be entirely nice for young children to see but overall this film is very sweet and at the same time worth watching - especially for the Hallmark Channel type audience. Please do not expect Zatoichi or Kill Bill with this film, if you do, you will find it boring. Recommended for older children and middle aged viewers.
OK the Japanese society may put a lot of emphasis on their children's future, hence will do anything to ensure that their children will succeed. This movie is supposed to be funny & satirical, but I do not get the humour at all. It was such an incredible bore, I was hoping the film to finish, and when it did, I hoped it gave me a more decent ending.