I didn't like it...

agree with jfrese. Although there are funny and moving parts in the film, the overall story is just to dull. When the film ended, i felt kinda cheated since nothing really happened. The picture starts with everyone having their own (lousy) life, and ends with it as well, with the difference that everyone took 1 moment to realize that they're family.

Different story's hardly interact with each other. For instances:
What was the broher/son doing in this movie??? he didn't add anything to the plot. The fact that he has find a girl to play Go with isn't satisfying enough. It isn't interesting at all.

Too bad that someone bothers to shoot such nice images and scene's, but does not bother too add an interesting story.

Ash: [for no apparent reason] ... Groovy.

When one says that she likes a movie, she isn't frequently asked to give the reason. But when one doens't like a movie, there'll be a fan of the movie jumping on the non-fan's throat and demand reason. That's what I call stupid. Not everyone has to like sushi.

I agree with Nephilim-6.

Some movies don't have to have fireworks and biff-bang-kapow in order to work. This one reminds me of Ozu, Tarkovsky, Hou Haio-Hsien as well, in that it's all about the pacing. Complaints about it being boring reveals an inability to settle into it, and projecting expectations onto the screen in this instance. I find there's alot of depth to it, as it ambles along pleasantly like a day off, full of subtlety, quiet absurdity and allows room for observation.

The setting for the movie is key as well. If it took place in, say, Osaka or Tokyo, it would move wayyyyy faster. Also, I don't remember who said it, but I think Hajime's story line is key to the overall plot, as the movie follows each character's miniature struggles.

If you want slow, check out "Goodbye Dragon Inn" by Tsai Ming Lang (sp? sorry), who also did "What Time Is It There?". Frustrating, initially but very rewarding by the end, and really funny in an understated way.

All that being said, I'm becoming more and more of a fan of slow movies.

The first time I watched I was also a little frustrated, although I knew what to expect. But yesterday I sat down to watch it again...and I totally (well, almost) fell in love with it:).

I found it much warmer, funnier (and less slow) than the first time. Maybe some of the people who didn't like it should give this a second try.

I didn't like it either. There's some engaging humour and arresting visuals and the film isn't, in my view, undone by the lack of a story. Nevertheless, my concern is that we are introduced to an ensemble cast that remain as quirky, thinly sketched characters throughout. It's this shallowness, this lack of depth of characterisation that undermines the movie. Amongst modern Japanese films I much prefer 'Ping Pong', 'Linda, Linda, Linda', 'Hana and Alice', and 'Kamikaze Girls'.

I agree with the OP...I just couldn't get into it, I didn't even find the visuals that interesting. I think I've watched too many of these 'nothing happens'/ 'slice of life' surrealist kind of films...they just seem so unoriginal and pretentious now.