Great movie, ( also great bluray with multiple commentary tracks ). And it's a sweet story, but I wonder if there's a darker message to be found here and if the woman was just using the guy.
- she totally leads him on by never revealing she was a teacher - invites him to her apartment when he was obviously crushing on her - she was in trouble for another underage male falling for her, did she possibly lead that guy on too? - her ex dumped her and didn't seem upset about it, could it be because of this behavior? - the ending shows the guy sort of promise to go see her after he grows up, but there is no such promise from the woman
I can't help but think the guy was correct when he started flipping out at her on the staircase. Then she hugs him and what she tells him may just be manipulating him to like her further. If I was friends with this guy IRL, I would tell him to stay far far away from this woman.
Just wondering what anyone thought about this angle on the story too.
It felt to me that she was doing that but subconciously. Perhaps she really was upset about the break-up (but knew how to hide it) and wanted to feel younger.
I don't think she was using him at all although it might seem that way to an objective outsider. To me this film is about loneliness and wanting/finding a connection with another person, and we see that from the woman's and the boy's point of view.
The woman is basically a loner and she is unhappy. She desperately wants a connection with another human being but she doesn't know how to go about getting it as she's lost faith in people after having to take time off work because of a vicious rumour at school which was untrue. She doesn't seem to have any friends either as she calls her ex BF and apologises that even though it's been a year or so since the break up she still calls him up because she doesn't really have anyone else to talk to.
So, she spends her time alone drinking in the park not knowing what to do with her life. Then suddenly the boy comes into her life. They start talking and she finds solace in his company but at the same time, she is torn. For one thing, he's much younger. For another, she recognises that he's one of the students at her school. Now, she's in a moral/emotional dilemma; she is incredibly lonely so she's drawn to the boy, but as a teacher, she knows that she should not be developing the relationship further. So, as she leaves, she recites an ancient poem of some sort in the hope that he realises she's a Japanese teacher at his school, because she cannot bring herself to tell him who she is straight as she doesn't want to lose his company. Yes, selfishly, she leaves it up to him to find out. Well, she explains later on that she assumed everyone knows who she is at school...
From then on, it's a slippery slope for her as the inevitable happens. She gets involved with the boy more and more emotionally, all the while knowing she shouldn't be. But her logic and a sense of right and wrong just cannot win over her loneliness and her desire for a connection. We see the constant inner battle she goes through especially when he tells her he likes her in the apartment. She doesn't respond positively because she knows it's not right even though she wants to tell him that she likes him too. But after he leaves, she runs after him because she listens to her heart instead. There's someone who sees her and accepts her which has given her strength and confidence but the question is can it go anywhere?
She doesn't talk about future with him because as a grown adult, she's being realistic. After all he's only 15/16 and she's 27. How could a 27 year old tie down a high school student when it's his time to enjoy life and have fun without any responsibilities? She's most likely looking for a proper relationship, marriage even, how can she possibly expect that from a guy who's so young? That's why from her point of view, it's just a friendship for now. The film leaves it ambiguous as to what happens, so who knows.
Anyway, great film. I thought it was a beautiful exploration of human emotions, needs and desires.