The Family Game

Pimples! The Essence of youth!

A weird and amusing commentary on how societal roles can fail every member of a family. The artifice of the filmmaking - particularly with that iconic dinner table - really stuck out to me. Shigeyuki and his bully were totally crushing on each other.

Through the eye of Yoshimitsu Morita everything is comedy, and everything is very visual. That's not to say that this is purely entertainment film - situation comedy and colorful characters who get into them (tutor guy is like a real action Great Teacher Onizuka) are great - it also explores the subject of Japanese family, social expectations and educational very well. By the way, the kid was right wanting to go to poorer school - being the big fish in a small pond is economically correct move.