Somai captures the time and place of his setting in a way that's so much more deliberate than having shot it in Japan during the 80's. At the same time, the small town restlessness, horniness, and longing for something bigger than what is offered in your surroundings make the film timeless.
So much of the production is obviously great. How the camera follows the actors over chairs and desks and sliding doors make the school feel so personal. The cast is perpetually drenched during the second half and I just wanted to give someone a blanket, the tactility of the storm is inescapable. The few scenes in Tokyo are likely orgasmic to anyone who's listened to Plastic Love more than a handful of times.
With all that it's still the incredible cast of young performers that is the most impressive part. At first the carefree idiocy of all of them make the characters blend together, but each one have realistic traits that are discovered. Most are silly, but some are genuinely tragic.
The nostalgic indulgence of youth can be a bit overidealized, but there are parts that are stark and strange reminding the audience that being young isn't all the singing and dancing that the film seemingly wishes it was. Still, the clouds part by the end and what is left is an ultimately wistful impression of youth.
