Living on Tokyo Time (1987)

Truly Dreadful Film

One of my all time favorites.

Don't Believe the Hype

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I for one typically like films that involve Japanese people so for sure I had to check out this 1987 film called "Living on Tokyo Time" and it was a slow little moving drama that gave insight into how life is all about chance and learning each day. The film still does a good job to explore Asian-American culture and the clash it has when a young Japanese girl travels to live and start a new life in San Francisco. This woman simply wants a new life a break from the normal ways of her family and she seems well on that path when she marries a Japanese-American junk food want to be rock star in the making. Really this is just a marriage of convenience so that the girl can stay in the U.S. so that her visa will not expire. So the theme of immigration is present so the film might can even be classified as before it's time. Overall the film is a culture class as it shows you learn everyday with life and love and in the end you have to make a choice to do the right thing as sometimes a visit and a stay is just a journey of chance as I think that was what this film proved.

While "Living on Tokyo Time" is highlighted with fine performances from the two leads and a real sense of realism and desperation, the main feeling I took away from my viewing was depression. Dreams and hopes are shattered in the story and perhaps in the real world there are no happy endings, but, that's why we have movies.

This is a realistic,comedic look at a marriage of convenience between a Japanese-American man and a Japanese woman.Director Steven Okazaki does a great job of showing the culture clash between the Japanese-born Kyoto and the born in America Ken.All the performances are uniformly good.Minako Ohashi as the Japanese emigre Kyoto,turns in a knowing performance.You feel her alienation and loneliness throughout.There are some fine supporting roles here,notably Kate Connell,and Mitzie Abe,as Ken's sister.Director Okazaki wraps everything up with an unexpected,realistic ending.

The main plot line of "Living on Tokyo Time" is Ken's marriage of convenience to a Japanese national seeking a green card. But between the lines it is a character study of a Japanese American in a life crisis. Intimate and understated, we see an authentic portrait of a man who doesn't know where he belongs.