Review: The Dramatic Ending of “A Bride for Rip Van Winkle”

Review: The Dramatic Ending of “A Bride for Rip Van Winkle”

Do you have a soft spot in your heart? Do you enjoy drama movie that tingles your inner emotion? If the answer to both questions is yes, then you should watch a Japanese movie called “A Bride for Rip Van Winkle”. The film tells a story of Nanami (Haru Kuroki) who works part-time as a high school teacher. Desperately looking for a lover, she used an online dating application in search for a boyfriend. Eventually, she met with a guy on the site who is willing to settle down with her and get married. The film was adapted from a novel by Shunju Iwai titled “Hana and Alice“, who also acted as the director of the film. The story is a sad sad portrayal of a lonely life in which Nanami is experiencing. She is an introverted individual who has to face the society pressure to get married at a certain age. When she finally met her husband, she was pressured to hold a wedding with lots of friends and relatives. She was forced to hire people to be her “friends” while in fact, she does not have that many friends. The destructive mentality to live large and prosper also haunts her from day to day.

Being new to the marriage life, Nanami could not find her happiness. Unfortunately, Nanami was divorced by her husband after being set up in a fake ‘affair’ that was set up by someone else. Her husband also found out that their wedding was attended by people she hired. Divorced, lonely, and confused, Nanami met Mashiro Satonaka (Cocco). Their encounter will later change their lives and the became best friends. At this point, the film gets surreal and will take you to a journey of contemplation and daydreaming. The film lasts for three hours in director’s cut version and “A Bride for Rip Van Winkle” will remind you with “Mulholland Drive” by David Lynch. This film is suitable for those who love melodramatic story.

Reviewer: Bonifasius Eiji/Editor: Novita Widia