Hula gâru (2006)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Sang-il Lee

Writers:

Sang-il Lee (written by) &
Daisuke Habara (written by)

Release Date:

23 September 2006 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Young women in a small Japanese town look to revive their home's declining fortunes by building a Hawaiian village tourist attraction.

Awards:

21 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Yasuko Matsuyuki	...	Madoka Hirayama
Etsushi Toyokawa	...	Yojiro Tanikawa
Yû Aoi	...	Kimiko Tanikawa
Shizuyo Yamasaki	...	Sayuri Kumano
Shoko Ikezu
Eri Tokunaga	...	Sanae Kimura
Kojo Miyake
Susumu Terajima
Masaru Shiga
Hiroshi Ôkôchi
Daikichi Sugawara
Katsumi Takahashi
Ittoku Kishibe	...	Norio Yoshimoto
Sumiko Fuji	...	Chiyo Tanikawa (as Junko Fuji)

Also Known As:

Hula Girls (International: English title)

Runtime:

121 min | USA:108 min | Canada:108 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Argentina:108 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Australia:M | Argentina:Atp | Spain:T | Hong Kong:IIA

Company:

Black Diamonds

Trivia:

In September 2006, the film was selected as the official submission from Japan in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 2007 Oscars.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hula gâru 2 (2010)

Japanese Drama : Loved it !!!

This film was quite dramatic. There were some very emotional scenes. I often cried. The dance scenes were simple (subtle) and quite appropriate. We get a realistic glimpse into the Japanese homes, the workplace and the local eating place, as well as some Japanese customs (particularly the sumimasen), in this small 1960's Japanese town.

A Hula Dance teacher is brought to a small mining town to teach Hula to the young girls in hopes that the town will create a Hawaiian tourist attraction in the near future. The young girls are presented with an opportunity to change their fate (and unknowingly, the fate of their town). The majority of the townsfolk are in complete opposition, putting the young girls at serious odds with their families and the society in which the live.

This story is loaded with dramatic personal interactions between characters. Many of the characters are developing (people becoming better persons). The sensei undergoes a bit of an attitude adjustment, inspired by her dancers. However, it is not until a climactic Hula Show that we realize the true heroine of Hula Girls.

I shall recommend this to all aspiring dancers. This review was based on the Japanese film with English subtitles.