Tomohisa Taguchi's "THE TUNNEL TO SUMMER, THE EXIT OF GOODBYES"
Review by Dennis D. McDonald
The casual viewer might be excused for overlooking this movie based on a quick scan of its all-too-familiar story elements:
New girl in town/transfer student/lives alone
Boy emotionally damaged
Cloddish adults
Boy and girl meet cute
Much communication by texting
Romantic summer festival/fireworks
Discovery of a hidden magical tunnel
In this case, the sum is much greater than the parts alone. What makes the movie resonate is how the discovery of a magical tunnel just outside of town is handled. Entering it, time slows down for the traveler but seems to speed up outside. Minutes inside translate to hours outside.
The boy thinks he can somehow use the tunnel to bring back his little sister, dead from an accident that has wrecked the family. The girl is seeking to confront her artistic failings and self-doubts carried over from her late grandfather, a failed manga artist.
Is the movie realistic? No, it’s a romantic fantasy, but details are handled with subtle care and calm respect. While the characters themselves are familiar in appearance, if you pay attention, you will see that facial and body movements and expressions are handled in a very subtle and realistic fashion. How the girl moves and sometimes glances out of the corner of her eye suggests a great deal of attention has been paid to intentionally subtle character and personality development.
The Japanese voice actors are universally excellent, with English subtitles easy to follow, including the real-time English translation of frequent text messages tapped out on 2005-era flip phones.
It’s not a perfect movie, but don’t let plot holes and loose ends spoil the enjoyment. It’s different. Given how often themes like magic, demons, heroic quests, and burdensome personal destinies are handled unoriginally in Japanese anime, that’s refreshing. Recommended!
Review copyright (c) 2024 by Dennis D. McDonald