New to Netflix is the Japanese drama, Call Me Chihiro. The movie – based on the manga, Chihiro-San, by Hiroyuki Yasuda – is directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, and stars Kasumi Arimura, Lily Franky, and Jun Fubuki.
The film follows the story of a former sex worker, called Chihiro, who has changed careers and now spends her days working in a small bento shop. Chihiro is polite, well-liked by customers, has a great rapport with her employers, and seems to be enjoying life.
But Chihiro’s friendly nature and positive outlook isn’t just confined to her working day; outside of hours, her sunny disposition continues and this impacts people around her. She looks out for those in need, including a homeless man, and a lonely young boy, and attracts the attention of a school girl, who warms to Chihiro’s confidence.
Over the course of the movie, the story follows Chihiro as she interacts with friends, old and new, and goes about her day-to-day business. The film also explores some of Chihiro’s backstory, including her relationship with her family.
Bright, breezy, and very inoffensive, Call Me Chihiro is a fairly whimsical little movie, about life and the people who make up our world. The film focuses on one key character, Chihiro, and details the ways in which she touches the lives of a bunch of strangers, who probably wouldn’t interact if not for her.
Through Chihiro we get to see what is going on in the homes of a number of characters, and how their lives are improved thanks to a connection with Chihiro. She’s not a Mary Poppins figure, nor some miracle worker, but just being her and being a positive force for good is enough to make a difference, and this is a strong element of the story.
Over the course of a couple of hours, the movie takes the time to explore who she is, and it becomes a tale about people and the little things in life. This isn’t a grand epic, with huge scenes of spectacle, it is very much a calm, occasionally sedate story, which bobs and weaves its way from start to finish.
As such, it will connect with some audiences, while others won’t get on with it at all. Those who like light films which simply wash over you, will likely enjoy this, while for everyone else it will be a bit too slow and possibly quite dull.
Personally, I didn’t really get on with Call Me Chihiro, as I found it too meandering and at times seemingly directionless. That’s not to say this movie doesn’t have a direction, but there is a significant amount of the film which feels as if it isn’t really going anywhere, and because of this I started to lose interest.
I’d liken Call Me Chihiro to embarking on a two-hour car ride without a purpose. It’s nice to get out of the house, and you’ll see a few interesting things along the way, but the whole journey feels kind of aimless and merely exists to pass the time.
While parts of Call Me Chihiro did work for me, and I appreciated the positive tone of the film, there wasn’t enough going on to hook me. The vibe of the picture worked better than the content, and ultimately I came away fairly disinterested in what I had watched.
A good cast and a light touch stop this film from falling apart, but its plodding story may be too much of a hurdle for everyone. Those who stick with it, will get the benefit of its central themes and messages, but those who duck out early and watch something else won’t feel as if they’ve missed anything life affirming.
Not for me, but it might be for you. Call Me Chihiro is available to stream on Netflix from today.
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