[FilmReview]OhLucy!(2017)6.7/10

LaudedJapanese-AmericanfemalefilmmakerAtsukoHirayanagi’sfeaturedebut,OHLUCY!,derivedfromherowneponymousshort,isaUSA-JapancoproductionstarringShinobuTerajimaasSetsuko,aTokyo-dwelling,40-somethingunwed,childlessofficelady(akindredspiritofKumikoinDavidZellner’sKUMIKO,THETREASUREHUNTER,2014),whosebenumbedworkadayexistenceisshuntedintoanewlanewhensheenrollsinanEnglishclassforbeginners,welcomedbytheopen-handedwarmthgeneratedfromtheAmericanteacherJohn(Hartnett,stillhandsomeenoughtoconquerlonely-hearts),andchristenedwithanewEnglishnameLucyandsportingablondwig,SetsukoinstantlycottonstoJohn,soon,joltedbythelatter’sunheraldeddeparturewithhernieceMikaOgawa(Kutsuna),shesetsoutajourneytothesouthernCaliforniatoseekhimout,onthepretenseofthefamilialties,andaccompaniedbyhersister,Mika’smotherAyako(Minami).Setsuko/Lucy’splightdenotesthehonest-to-goodclichéofspinsterhood’sstigmawhichissoentrenchedinoursociety’smindset.Disparagedbothinworkingplacesandwithinherownfamily,Setsukoisahardenedvictimoutofsuchchronic,collectivementalabuse.Sheisbluffenoughtodebunkthehypocrisytoaretiredcolleagueinherfarewellparty,despitethatsheisunabletododgethegrimfateofsupersedingthelatterasthenewanathemaintheoffice,thecankerneverstopsspewingitsinvisiblevirulence.Plus,thedrawn-outgrudgebetweenherandAyakogoesalongwaybacktothefactthatAyakohasstolenthemanshelovesandstartedafamilywithhim,whichmakestherelationshipbetweenSetsukoandMikaanincreasinglycomplicatedone,andHirayanagideftlychannelsoutthetoxicitywithanunexpectedturnofeventinthisotherwiselight-heartedindiecharmercoruscatedwithdryhumorandstraight-facedconfrontations,oftenborneoutofthemilieu’syawningculturaldisparity(cutesymaidcafeversusnamelessmotel,suppressedsubsistenceversuslaidbackshiftlessness),thoughnothingparticularlynovelandweallknowthedrillbynow(thesightofadeermaterializingaproposofnothingissimplytooblasétoelicitanyotherdeeperfeelings).Havingnoqualmsaboutneithershuckingoffthelastfigleafofthemythologizedallureofanoccidentalforeigner,nordelvingintotherockbottomofaself-seekingwoman’sdespair,eventuallyOHLUCY!lendsonitsfeetwithapositivevibeinthat“I’mnottheonlyone”revelation,impartedbyKôjiYakusho’sunpretentiousmannerism,toofferascintillaofoptimisminSetsuko/Lucy’snever-endingjeremiad,superblyreifiedbyTerajima’sleadingperformancewhichminglesutterlyunfeignedspontaneity,perpetuallymiffedbemusementwithineffablyunderstatedsorrowthatgivesthispleasurablegemawinningifslightedgeovertheumpteensimilarofferingsinfestingthenicheart-filmmarket.referentialentry:DavidZellner’sKUMIKO,THETREASUREHUNTER(2014,6.8/10).