Bride for Eight Years (Movie Review)

This was a lovely film.

Hisashi and Mai fell in love, and were soon to get married before Mai contracted a rare condition that sent her into a coma. When she woke up, she was reduced to the mental state of a child and couldn't remember Hisashi. Despite this, Hisashi patiently looked after her.

It's worth noting that Bride for Eight Years is based on a true story, knowledge that ultimately lends more gravitas to the movie than if it had been the product of someone's imagination. The film treats Mai's condition with dignity and care - the opening scene, for example, is light and cheeky.
  It would be easy, if one didn't know that the movie is inspired by reality, to dismiss the story as another tragic romance that the film industry seems to do so well. Yet, it's easy to see that the team were not going for a grand sweeping production. It feels less romanticized than romance films often do; it's just the story of a normal, awkward couple placed into an abnormal, horrific situation.
  I like the way the film managed the passage of time (and no, I'm not talking about the on-screen calendar). Having Mai take on a range of appearances showed where she was in her long recovery, denoting how much time had passed. It's easy for a movie or drama to squeeze in a time-skip but do nothing to make the weight of it felt. Here, it was cleverly relayed how long and suffocating that time must have felt for Hisashi and Mai's loving parents.
  I think the director here - who I'm new to, but very impressed with - did a good job of capturing that realism. It's clear that he never intended for the film to be painted in a melodramatic light - he kept the film grounded, hopeful, and ultimately uplifting.
  In fact, something that surprised me was that when I turned the movie on, fully expecting to emerge traumatized and dehydrated, I did not shed a single tear. I'm torn as to why - was it the prior knowledge of a happy ending? The lack of dramatic performances, denoting desperation and heartbreak? The idea that Mai's condition is so rarely contracted that I'm unlikely to ever experience something similar?
  I suppose, the movie just lacks that sadistic touch behind most heart-warming stories, where you're expected to cry. The pathos is there, but the catharsis isn't, which is a welcome change. I have to say, I think that the characters acting like real people, who shoulder their pain and carry on with life, was brilliantly moving.
  Although the film was very much about Hisashi being the dependable rock, Tsuchiya Tao's performance is the most outstanding here. That may come as a surprise, considering how much time she spent lying down with her eyes closed. Although I couldn't warm to her character much, this movie provided some proof that the actress is far more talented than she allows herself to be. I'm frankly sick of seeing her typecast as the shy high-school girl all the time, and I'd love to see her push herself if it means more nuanced, delicate and charming portrayals. I wish I had believed her love for Hisashi a little more, but you can't have everything.