The Land of Hope

Sono's Fukushima drama. He's probably not the best director to tackle such a theme, but he did pretty well all things considered. While the drama gets a bit too big and loud, there are also some surprisingly subtle moments and a few interesting angles on the impact this event had on the Fukushima residents.

Yoichi and Izumi have a little farm in the countryside, which they tend to with their parents. An earthquake hits Fukushima and the natural disaster destroys a nearby power plant. Yoichi doesn't want to leave his farm, but when he hears that his wife is pregnant, he is forced to make some tough decisions.

There's no lack of quality Japanese drama, and Sono can't quite meet that bar. Some of the performances are a little off, the drama isn't quite subtle enough and the film's a bit too long, but there are interesting and memorable moments. If he could've tightened the film just a little, this might have been a personal favorite. As it is, it's a strong film about the Fukushima disaster, but not one that rivals its peers.