Stay

This is a gently moving story, and its lack of pretension and subtlety will slowly draw you in until you find yourself caring about the main characters and the outcome of the story.

Besides the charismatic lead actors, there's a fascinating urban backdrop and a subplot to this movie that has me hoping for a prequel - something I don't think I've ever wanted before.

This film has a unique plot that explores a side of Japan that certainly exists but unfortunately has not been tackled by filmmakers. There is no shortage of Yakuza movies and films about "normal" Japanese people, but in reality there are untold numbers of people who fall through the cracks in Japanese society, and I'm glad this film shines a spotlight on some of them. The romantic piece which is central to this film similarly highlights characters who exist in real life but have gone unexplored by filmmakers. The actors are talented and the director does an amazing job at portraying all these unique issues and characters in a compelling, realistic, and entertaining way. Finally, I'm not sure who chose the music but I really enjoyed the soundtrack. Put this film on your watch list!

Stay is the story of a brief romance that occurs over a couple of days in Tokyo. No doubt many a traveler will be able to relate to that experience and how memorable and intense the feeling is. The protagonist Ryu (Shogen) has had a fall from grace as a result of drug abuse. After being fired from yet another job, he meets a foreigner, Hope (Ana Tanaka), in a nightclub and events unfold from there. Here you might expect the usual trope of him falling more into drug and alcohol abuse with imminent rescue from the fall by Hope. But not all. Instead, what develops is a warm and sincere intimacy, with naturalism instead of dramatics, even in its darkest moments, and this is what gives Stay its appeal. Shogen and Tanaka are convincing in their roles and are well supported by Natsuhi Ueno (Risa) and Shima Onishi (Bo) as the friends that Ryu could do without. An additional bonus is the wonderful streets scenes of Tokyo, many of which are off the well beaten tourist tracks and a soundtrack that put me in mind of Murakami's novels.

This film is a love letter, not only between the two main characters whose brief but passionate encounter leads to something more but also to the city itself. Darryl Wharton-Rigby has outdone himself in his tender treatment of a city that might have appeared harsh in different hands and could only be achieved by a director who lives in Tokyo. I'm giving it 8 stars because I wanted to know more of Hope's backstory, but everything else makes me want to linger over Stay. A true gem!

"Stay" is an amazing production. It is beautifully shot, and its direction and casting are stellar.

The story felt so natural. After experiencing the opening sequence and beginning to sympathize with Ryu's despair, magic occurred. Soon, I was rooting for him to get his life back and for him to convince Hope to "stay."

The chemistry between the two lead actors, Shogen (Ryu) and Ana Tanaka (Hope), feels like watching two people really falling in love while their banter and playfulness retain the story's cinematic quality.

Glimpses into specific aspects of Japanese culture are refreshing, but the story and its themes are universal.

Writer and director Darryl Wharton-Rigby has delivered with this one. I look forward to this brilliant storyteller's next film.