Lemon no Koro
If you take out all the school stuff, (high)school life was great. Old enough to do stuff, young enough to not face big responsibilities. Of course it was also filled with boring lessons and subjects that would never prove their value, but those are easily forgotten. Looking back at our school lives can be comforting, even when it's through the distorted vision of an unfamiliar society. Enter The Graduates.
Even though high school films never succeed in depicting a realistic vision of high school life, they do hint at big cultural differences. The subject of these films may be the same, American high school films are in no way the same as their Japanese counterparts. While American directors often focus on minority groups, sexual frustration and comedy, the Japanese are more concerned with blossoming young love, planning out your life and puberty drama. That said, coming from Belgium both systems feel pretty alien to me.
The Graduates is very much a Japanese high school film. There are equal doses of young love, uncertainty of future careers and people moving away to pursue their own lives. The film is covered with dramatic and romantic overtones, comedy is only a distant third. And no, seeing these adolescents struggle with their pre-career life doesn't really remind me of myself a good ten years ago, but the easy, melancholic vibe coming from this film sure does.
Central to the story are two young couples. Both deal with blossoming feelings of love, both relationships have little chance of succeeding. Kayako and Tomizo are fighting the battle of pursuing different colleges in different cities, Kei and Kazuya battle the fine line between friendship and love. It's a pretty simple setup, but crazy or long-winding plot developments are not what these kind of films are about.
Style-wise, The Graduates is a another perfect example of stilted Japanese drama. There isn't much camera movement and when there is it is usually slow, dreamy and deliberate. Shots are meticulously planned with a couple of glamour shots once in a while to make the film more attractive. It's delightful to watch though experience tells me most people find it rather boring.
As usual this goes hand in hand with a timid and subdued piano score, highlighting a couple of dramatic scenes but never really intruding. It's a crucial aspect in reaching that typical dreamy, laid-back atmosphere so often present in these type of dramas. No points for originally, but it works out well enough.
Acting is pretty strong but once again typically Japanese. Actors don't throw their emotions at the screen, most of the emotional impact is playing behind stone-cold faces. As always, body language plays a pretty big part in the acting here. From time to time the actors erupt, only for very short bursts of time, only to retreat back behind their emotional wall second later.
Emotional doesn't mean sentimental, which is proven more than once in this film. The climax of the young love between Kayako and Tomizo is a scene where he asks her if she'll let him touch her hair. No wild kisses or morning afters here. And a goodbye scene doesn't coincide with dramatically running after the train shouting and waving but includes a static shot from the rear window as the trains bends a curve. It's simple, it's subtle and it's all the better for it.
The Graduates doesn't bring much new to fans of the genre, but what it does it does extremely well. It's a film that allows you to sit back and enjoy the view. Enjoy the free-wheeling students as they linger on the roof of the school or when they are out playing sports. That's what this film is all about, that's where it excels.
It's a pretty good film for newcomers and hardened fans alike. The film is accessible, has enough drama for those not quite used to the slow pacing and leaves enough room for meandering thoughts. Sadly Iwata hasn't made anything since this film. There's been a serious decline in quality output in this particular genre. All the more reason to give this film a lovingly warm nudge in the back.