A househusband, a career wife, and a piano recoil that might save everything—or nothing.
Shotaro and Minako are arguing. Minako has confessed her infidelity to her husband and informs him of her intention to leave him. She has ceased to enjoy living with a submissive husband. Minako, who works for a construction company, loves her job and is progressing in her successful career, while her husband eagerly takes care of the house and the kids. He buys groceries, he cooks, he does the laundry – constantly. The couple’s arguing intensifies until Minaka files for divorce. Their older daughter Mari isn’t that upset by her parent’s problems as she’s more interested in the piano piece she’s got to play with her mother at a concert organised by her music school; admittedly, she’s also rather interested in her music teacher. But her younger brother Toru feels betrayed by his mother and can’t manage to reconcile himself to his father’s role as a housewife. A partial reconciliation occurs at Minako and Mari’s concert, where their entrance on stage is met with loud applause.
Acting
Naoto Takenaka's crushed dignity as the domesticated husband
Direction
Takenaka directs himself through quiet marital implosion
Director
Naoto Takenaka
Naoto Takenaka
Sasaki Shoutarou
Yuki Amami
Sasaki Namiko
Sawa Suzuki
Ohsawa no tsuma
Hairi Katagiri
Bengoshi
Yasue Sato
Chizuru Nagai (staff at piano course)
Reiko Matsuo
Ritsuko
Kazuki Kitamura
Ohsawa
Jōji Matsuoka
Cook
Mitsuhiro Oikawa
Tanimura Masaki
Yoji Tanaka
Customer
Kanji Tsuda
Ramen-ya no kyaku
Shinya Tsukamoto
Yuuenchi no otoko
Kazuaki Hankai
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released in 2001, this quietly examines Japan's 'lost decade' salaryman crisis and emerging debates about gendered labor—years before 'ikumen' became policy buzzword.
Director Naoto Takenaka cast himself opposite Yuki Amami, his real-life partner at the time, adding uncomfortable meta-texture to their on-screen dissolution.
JP
