By Pamela Pollack-Fremd
LA MESA, California — Honesty is not always the best policy. Or so that appears to be true in the Japanese film written by Atuko Hirayamagi and Boris Frumin. Ms. Hirayamagi also directed the film. Setsuko/Lucy (Shinobu Kutsuma ) is a dissatisfied middle aged office worker/tea lady. She is alienated from her family, her sister, Ayako,(the legendary Kaho Minami) and niece, Mika (Shioli Kutsuma). Setsuko/Lucy also appears to be alienated at her workplace and in her culture, behaving in ways that will automatically offend and distance her from those around her.
One day Mika begs her aunt to take over her place in an English class and repay Mika the tuition she had to pay in advance. Mika has a soft spot for her niece and agrees. At this iffy English school Setsuko meets her new teacher, John (Josh Hartnett). John gives her an American name to use in class, Lucy. Setsuko quickly falls in love with John, and as the film progresses, this creates more complications than she could ever have imagined. When John quits the school and returns to the United States, Setsuko follows.
All of the performances in this movie are both strong and believable. Kormori/Tom portrayed by Koji Yakusho, Lucy’s classmate at the English school, is particularly attractive. He is a regular, steadfast, good guy in a movie full of lost souls. Oh Lucy has some interesting observations on current international culture.
Oh Lucy opens March 9th at the Landmark Ken Cinema. 4061 Adams Avenue, San Diego.