I am currently obsessed with this independent Japanese movie based on a Manga comic which I watched on youtube. I just loved the storyline and how it played out throughout the movie and I liked every character including the minor ones. The literal translation of the movie name is Does The Flower Bloom. It started the movie with a tall young guy who was sitting down painting away in a typical Japanese room setting. Then it panned out to another younger guy who came into the room telling the young man that food was ready.
In Japan culture, they address special salutations or by their surname. The younger one tried to make a guess of what he was drawing but he barely spoke except to say that he would be coming soon. At the same time, there was a group of people outside the house taking photos and one of them came in to look for the owner of the big house, without knowing that the young man was actually the owner. But of course, he looked like some student who could not have possibly owned the house and he too didn't acknowledge that he was the person they were looking for to give thanks for allowing them to take pics of the house and the surrounding compound. He actually came from a wealthy family who owned houses and land but sadly, his parents died when he was young in an accident and he became the inheritor. But had actually left the running of the house that only offered rent to people especially students to a trusted older man who used to be good friends with his dad.
At first he was being reclusive and said a few harsh words by saying that they can take pictures but not to wander around to any rooms. It was only when his painting was correctly guessed to be of flowers and that it was being appreciated that he started to look up and took interest in this other person.
There was another encounter later on, in that house as well on another day. So love soon blossomed between the workaholic and the student painter who started to change his outlook in life beyond painting and stepping out his late dad's shadow as a famous painter. They changed each other and at the same time, yearned for each other too but what is love without obstacles. Their big age gap was one thing and though the young one didn't have an issue with it, but the older one did. After that, they had a quarrel over what matters most when a job posting to Osaka became a threat in their blossoming relationship.
As per the title, flower was not only depicted in painting, where the main character obsessed over as it was a memory of him planting flower seeds with his mum when young, he also spoke of it metaphorically in regards to their relationship. A flower would not blossom without the interest in taking care of it everyday. Even though the move was unavoidable, and that they would not be able to see each other frequently for 3 years, they promised to call each other everyday and visit regularly, to keep their relationship flourishing.
I liked how the young man, said to be 19 in the movie and hardly spoke to people, made the initiatives a few times to be closer to his love interest, asking questions and doing things out of his usual norms which also puzzled his housemates. He usually ignore or speak few words to other people, including his schoolmate who was interested in him and was pretty persistent in wooing him until he made it clear in the end that he didn't see them beyond anything else. When they saw the positive change in him, they were very encouraging but also worried when starting to see less of them together. They didn't see the relationship as being unhealthy despite the obvious age gap but all they know is that this young man started to have an interest in something else (or someone else..in this case) besides painting, and he was more lively and even saw him smile for the first time, lol..yes, it was that bad.
But it was also because he started to box himself in ever since his parent's death. And then his father being a famous painter, people liked to draw comparisons that he felt he could never paint as well as his dad, until of course someone for once showed appreciation towards his paintings. Though the move to Osaka was inevitable, I liked how he drew abstract paintings of flower buds in the starting but in the ending, he drew blossoming flowers and this time, I can also see they were flowers, lol. I couldn't have guessed in the first painting too. Oh, and this time, he smiled as he was painting away showing that he was truly happier now.
So I am thinking about the impact someone can have in your life. He or she may not actually have the intentions to wanna change you for the better but start to appreciate you for who you are and then speaking up for you or sticking by you when others may say unkind words, whether intentionally or not. Recently I came across some youtube videos of people sharing about their interracial relationships and where even their parents disapproved of them. But despite the differences, they knew that they wanted to spend their life together and make up their mind to go through the obstacles together as well. Slowly after marriage and children, they continued to try to win their parents over and while some are still trying, there are others who have succeeded. Especially with the arrival of children, they seem to be the catalyst to repair their broken family relationships.
So relationships I feel is not to be taken lightly and needs to be nurtured everyday if possible, even if they don't see each other all the time. Of course the best is to see each other face to face but sometimes, it's not that easy but the important thing is to make the effort in order to keep the relationship alive and long lasting.
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