Laundry (2001)

Yosuke Kobuzuka in Laundry

Sweet, pure and poignant. A story of two individuals as victims of unfortunate circumstances who found salvation from each other. A feature-film debut by Juinichi Mori which coveted the 2002 Sundance Film Festival/NHK International Film Award.

Synopsis:

Director Junichi Mori displays a thoughtful hand in this beautifully poetic debut featurel. LAUNDRY is a story of scars and healing, of gentle ironies and quiet tragedies, of love and second chances. The film centers around Teru, a young man who runs a coin laundry, and Mizue, a lonely young woman who longs to be washed anew. Teru bears a scar from a childhood injury that has left him brain damaged; he is pure and innocent in his essence, filled with a simple joy. Mizue is a troubled woman who feels the world lying all to heavy and have caused her to lose her way. LAUNDRY is their story. -Susan Morris  

Trailer:

It's Saturday again and I have to stay in my room and wait until the workers are finished with the moldings. LAUNDRY was my random pick for the day and I never thought this movie would be this good.

Story:

Yosuke Kubozuka and  Koyuki as Teru and Mizue in Laundry

The story shows a simple yet heartwarming story of Teru and Mizue. It is labeled as drama, however when I watched it, it's rather light and sometimes funny. It's odd and subtle, but it's interesting in its own way which made me glued into the screen instead of sleeping out of boredom. The film starts with a first person introduction of Teru, the man with a weird hat, and his daily life in the coin laundry. In contrast to Teru's innocent and simple character, Mizue is a strikingly beautiful woman who is rather a dark and troubled character. As the two of them meet in the coin laundry, things began to change. Mizue enters the coin laundry and leaves her bloodstained dress from her failed suicide attempt. Teru finds it and out of innocence, relentlessly washes it everyday. As the stain fades away, Teru goes on a journey to find Mizue to return the dress to her. Their fateful encounter changed their lives, unexpectedly.

As the film goes on, the two characters began to develop. As the two of them remained close to each other, they valued each other's presence. They may be an odd pair, however their existence became indispensable for each other. The story has a slow pace and there is no  clear villain here except the result of unhealed wounds. The turn of events are realistic yet dreamy at the same time. It's a unique, subtle and moving story of this unlikely couple.

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack is nice. The main theme "Under the Sun" is performed by Bonnie Pink whom I've known since I was in elementary, because of her song "It's gonna Rain". I loved her voice. For her to sing the main theme of the movie is a good choice. The music is rather nostalgic and peaceful. It greatly blends well with the film's setting.

Actors:

This movie features familiar actors. This movie is well-acted and the choice of actors was well-chosen. All throughout the movie, I fell in love with the characters. They are unique and you can easily sympathize with them. Without good actors, the movie won't have the same impact as it should be.

Yosuke  Kubozuka and Shun Oguri in GTO drama (1998).

I was first acquainted with Yosuke Kobuzuka in ICHI (2008) which Ayase Haruka starred in. Before that film, he was featured in Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), Ping Pong and several other dramas/movies. He had already acquired several acting awards and has established himself as one of Japan's A-list actors. I'm looking forward to his other works.

Koyuki as Taka in The Last Samurai (2003)

I have been an admirer of Koyuki ever since she starred with Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. Aside for her unique beauty, her acting skills are convincing. I've seen one of her popular dramas, Kimi wa Petto where she starred with Jun Matsumoto. I never imagined that today, she'll be known as the wife of Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City) despite the nine-year age difference. I wish them the best. lol

Cinematography:

The film's cinematography is rather nostalgic. It reminds me of the millennium's early start. The direction is excellent for a film debut. I actually thought it was directed by a veteran. It's simplicity and subtleness brought out the beauty of the film.

Rating:

For a drama, I'll give it 4.5 out of 5. This film for me is rather unexpected and it has became one of my favorites. I recommend this for people who are interested in poignant slice-of-life movie genres. In general, this is definitely a must watch.