Eriko, Pretended

A very sweet and agreeable film. It's a modern type of coming-of-age drama. Not with teens becoming adults, but with adults trying to find their way in life. After some initial experimenting (and - usually - failing at life), a big event will put them on the right track. Cue Eriko, Pretended, a very archetypical example.

Eriko is a country girl who moved to Tokyo to make it as an actress. Apart from appearing in one beer commercial, her career isn't really taking off. She's a fake it until you make it kinda girl though, so she powers through in the hope of landing that one role that will make her famous. But when her sister suddenly dies, she puts her career on hold and returns to her hometown.

Performances are very solid, the drama is light with some room for dry comedy and the setting is quiet and peaceful. It's a rather simple film, but Eriko's path to self-discovery is rather subtle and the character really grew on me. Well recommended for fans of Japanese dramas.