The film's literal translated titles would be Biri Gal, A girl who wears short mini skirts, fake eye lashes, a face full of make up, and dyed blond hair. These girls are literally everywhere in the cities of Japan. You would think that a girl like this would have a head full of bricks but not Kudo Sayaka. She decides that she wants to go to Keio University with only a 4th grade education. This is her story on how she defied the odds with the help of her cram school teacher, Yoshitaka Tsubota.
The film is directed by Doi Nobuhiro and stars Arimura Kasumi and Itō Atsushi. I have seen both actor and actress in numerous of dramas and movies. I'm actually happy to see that they are making such big names for themselves. "Flying Colors" is the second movie i have seen Kasumi star in and she has grown into a great actress. While this role relies a lot on her looks, she knows how transition well with the different stages that her character goes through. There's a lot of issues going on around her and not to mention her own emotional scars that she hides so well with the help of her dumb blond act. Her character just wants to party and then party again until you looking at the morning sun raise up in the sky. This is fine when your young but soon you realize you don't stand for much in your life after the partying is over. This is just one of the conflicts Kudo Sayaka faces when she tries to do the impossible and get into one of Japan's top universities. Kasmumi embodies her character as a girl who must work hard and gives up many of her old habits in the process. The strength she gains in her journey will make you want to get up and try and try again no matter how many times you fall down. Atasushi shines her has the cram school teacher who does every thing in his power to support his students. The scenes he's in flowed with a light hearted positivity that you can tell influenced the other actors and actresses as the acted along side him. The witty craft of both character's chemistry also knew how to make certain moments funny without going overboard and derailing the films progress.
The plot line of this film is labeled a comedy but the slap stick moments are only the surface of what this movie has to offer. There's are so many different plot points that you are interested as they collide together into one big conflict. Family problems and character back stories make the film so emotional at times that you need the comic relief. The director know when to enter that comic relief just at the right time too without making the action cheesy. I also have to give a mention to the side characters who helped light the fire under an already burning conflict in the film. This is one of the first films in a long time, where I can say I was trufully interested in all the characters shown on screen.
"Flying Color" looks like it was shot mostly in Tokyo city area and the suburbs. I always loved those areas by the river where you can take a walk in the closings of the day. It seems kind of unsafe too because you can fall over in the river with one wrong step. The cinematography is filmed in these areas during travel scenes such as walking and riding bikes. There is a charm to these scenes because it shows where our main character has come from and where she is going. From the times she was walking and didn't know who she wanted to be to a girl who was giving everything she had to meet her goal. The cram school scenes are shot at side angles or from a distance. Some times it made the tutor room look extra small but i think that was the look they wanted. The scenes shot in Tokyo city are all about youthful party girl energy where you can laugh about dance the problems of the day away. The main focus was Kudo Sayaka and her friends. These scenes gives off that sex in the city feel when those girl would strut down the street and that bustling music would play. You see this form of shooting in a lot of film productions but there's an art to it in order to make it your own. Those steps in her house would scare the hell out of me because of how steep they were. In the scenes when her character runs down them, i didn't know if i should scream for her to slow down or for her to not go down the steps at all. I wonder how the cameraman even shot those scenes since the step way looked very narrow. the whole house was small but the shots made very good use of the family living room and the outside area in front of the house.
I didn't expect "Flying Colors" to impress me this much. You think the movie would be mediocre but the way the film's story board is planned out makes you never have a boring moment with great character performances. I came away from this movie with a new found reason to work harder. Never forget that you and your dreams matter. When there is a will, there is a way.
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