(Jmovie Review) Not Quite Dead Yet

 

Alternative title: I Tried Dying Once

Original Title: Ichido Shinde Mita (一度死んでみた)

Director: Shinji Hamasaki

Writer: Shimitsu Sawamoto

Producer: Shigeaki Yoshida,

Release date: March 20, 2020

Runtime: 93 minutes

Distributor: Shochiku

Main casts:

Suzu Hirose as Nanase Nobata

Shinichi Tsutsumi as Kei Nobatas

Ryo Yoshizawa as Taku Matsuoka

Supporting casts:

Shota Matsuda

Yukiyoshi Ozawa

Lily Franky

Takeru Satoh

Yu Shirota

Elaiza Ikeda

Satoshi Tsumabuki

Jun Shison, etc

"People' s differences are everyone's special skill".

So, what is your skill that might be different from others? Well, frankly, I don't really get what the saying means. LOL.

Kei Nobata, a CEO of a pharmaceutical company, was preparing a rejuvenate drug called Romeo drug, a kind of drug that can revive someone from his death trial, and even make people stay young. We know a lot of people want to stay young. But, why does someone need to die once? You need to watch this movie 🤭

Kei Nobata had a daughter named Nanase who was excellent in chemistry but didn't want to continue her father's dream to succeed his research in rejuvenation drug. Instead, she wanted to debut with her death metal band.

The greeting....

... the response

Outside the company, there was a competitive company that wanted to collaborate with Kei to realize the drug and might sell it to public, those who want to stay young or experience death. Kei, on the other hand, refused the idea to collaborate, not to mention, to merge his company. Unfortunately, the information about the drug leaked to the rival company. There was a sense of conspiracy or betrayal among Kei's employees.

To know who leaked the info, Kei agreed to try the drug himself and died temporarily for two days. The problem is, the traitor showed his true colors as soon as Kei 'died'. The traitor was ready with some documents that he needed to merge with the other company, and most of all, to get the result of Romeo drug research. Matsuoka, one of Kei's employees, was left to witness the truth. What could he do? He was good only when he appeared without showing his appearance. He's merely a ghost in his workplace. LOL.

The traitor even prepared for Kei's funeral by cremation before the due date he revived from his death. Matsuoka and Nanase had to do something to prevent this to happen.

How I ship this couple in more dramas (or in real life?) 

I've been waiting and wanting to watch this movie as soon the trailer was released. There is a bunch of artists joined this movie, even though they showed up only a few minutes, and sometimes, seconds! LOL.

The story line is quite unique since it tells about a reviving drug, something that some people wanted to give it a try, at least to know what afterlife is like. Kei experienced meeting Grim Reaper, and even his late wife. What is afterlife like? Well, he barely came across the afterlife except being picked up by the Grim Reaper. What do you want to know about afterlife? The good deeds you did when you were alive and you expect to reap it in afterlife world? Or, other than that? 🤔

The performance of the casts is superb. Maybe this is the first time for me to see Suzu Hirose act as a rebel. Her singing of death metal sounded rebellious towards certain person, her father. Yup, she had a love-and-hate relationship with her father since she thought that her father was obviously ambitious to get the formula of Romeo drug, while abandoning her ailing mother.

With her rock-n-roll flashy appearance, Suzu looked really 'death-metal' with the way she talked, sang, and even cursed. She countlessly called her father as 'lame old man' (was it kuso oyaji?) 🤭 Looking at Suzu’s previous characters, I think she suits to this character. I remember her playing in Kaito Yamaneko and Bitter Blood, she had nearly similar character, outspoken, grumpy with her high pitch voice. Somehow, it’s more refreshing looking at her that way rather than her timid character in Sunny Our Hearts Beat Together, My Teacher and Our Little Sister.  I don’t say that she’s not good at playing as someone soft spoken, but I just love the way she acts as someone cheerful, lively a bit careless.

death metal look, huh?

response to know her kuso oyaji died

As ‘ghostly’ Matsuoka Taku, Ryo Yoshizawa was surprisingly good. He’s really amazing when he’s soft spoken, I guess. He played countless character as someone nerdy, clumsy, dork, poor in social skills. See his works in Boku wa Mari no Naka, River’s Edge, and Anoko no Toriko. But, I love his character in Marmalade Boy. One thing I complain about him is his hair style, merely similar to one character to another. That’s why, I was shocked to see him in Les Miserables as young Baba Jun (the old Baba Jun played by Dean Fujioka). I really want him to give me as audience a surprise with his appearance. But, as Matsuoka, I surprisingly see him play very well. He left me shout boooooo after he wiped the cake cream from Nanase’s cheek. Eh, really? That’s all? Lol. 

the ghostly appearance is totally gone :D

Shinichi Tsutsumi played as Kei Nobata. Well, I can’t say much about him. He’s senior with a number of popular dramas and movies, unfortunately, I don’t see much of him, except, Always Sunset on third Street 1-3. The rest, hmmm… the movies or the dramas I watched, he mostly was a supporting cast that I didn't recognize him there. Gomenasai! 

Lame old man, here I am...

As I wrote in the beginning of the review, this has a bunch of popular actors and actresses. On the trailer, I recognized the appearance of my beloved actor, Takeru Satoh as a club waiter, Satoshi Tsumabuki as the hotel manager, Lily Franky as the Grim Reaper, Matsuda Shota (one of F4 in 2005) as Gramps (he was 80 years old without getting old. Thanks to rejuvenation drug!), Takenata Naoto (recently he played in Gokushufudo) as the bikkhu, Yu Shirota as a security guard, Elaiza Ikeda as Akane, Jun Shison as one of pharmaceutical staff of Nobata), etc. Well, you know, after years of watching numerous dramas and movies, recognizing their faces is a kind of exciting. I myself wonder how I could recognize those faces easily compared to Korean actors and actresses. How about you? 

Appear only in seconds, but he caught our attention!

Popular casts, showed up only in seconds!

Lastly, this is a hilarious family drama about father-daughter warm relationship, dedication, honesty, and hard work. Plus, the comedy inserted here and there made this movie worth your time. Go and watch the movie with your loved ones.

The trailer

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