To put it simply, Swing Girls is a perfect representation of all of the best qualities of contemporary Japanese films of this sort. There are many films like this that are produced in Japan, but this one manages to ascend into the upper echelons of this genre of film.
Stories like this in contemporary Japanese cinema are a dime a dozen- some kind of problem arises and it's up to a rag-tag, poorly disciplined group of delinquents to work hard at something they have no experience with to prove themselves in some way. Swing Girls makes a couple of alterations to this formula, but still fits well within that general type of story. What makes this film special is, as with any other film, is its execution of this kind of story.
All of the acting performances are brilliantly executed. The interactions between students, teachers, siblings, family, etc. it's all very believable, and when things do get hammy, it's for comedic effect and it's done so just as well.
The comedy in this film is quite effective. There aren't too many comedy bits that are especially memorable but when you're along for the ride, the comedic moments hit just as they'd ought to.
Swing Girls manages to skirt around some plot cliches that, for any other film maker, would have been so easy to utilize to help heighten the drama. This, however, would have only served to dilute this film and instead ti goes its own way while still preserving certain dramatic elements that help to heighten the stakes.
The best element of this film is its charm. Swing Girls manages to deliver this story with a nearly-unmatchable charm. It made the characters and this world, which is already believable, out to be one that you don't want to leave. This film, although feeling like the perfect length, could probably have gone on for longer and I would not have noticed. This film, everyone in it, they are all memorable and charming. Despite having a relatively sizable cast, I could still manage to point out the guy from the supermarket, or the main character's little sister, etc. This film has such charming characters and its delivery so timeless, it's impossible to describe it in any other terms.
Sure, some might say that there wasn't really much of a character arc for most of the characters. Sure, they do evolve in the same way but there's nothing very obvious about the change in the characters. They are all the same personalities that they were at the beginning of the film but, again, those personalities helped to make this film likable. Some might argue that, perhaps, the characters are too archetypal, but having had experience in Japanese schools now, I can see that this film's portrayal isn't necessarily too far off, especially when dealing with strong personalities... which is part of the driving force of the film's premise to begin with.
Swing Girls is a great film and serves as a great example of modern Japanese cinema. My favorite character was Sekiguchi Kaori mostly because I'll always be partial to Trombone players, and seeing the prominence of the role she plays in the band as well as her character quirks, she is incredibly likeable. I cannot recommend this film enough. It is wholesome and, dare I say, it's one of the few films I reviewed here that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Definitely a must watch for anyone.
Stories like this in contemporary Japanese cinema are a dime a dozen- some kind of problem arises and it's up to a rag-tag, poorly disciplined group of delinquents to work hard at something they have no experience with to prove themselves in some way. Swing Girls makes a couple of alterations to this formula, but still fits well within that general type of story. What makes this film special is, as with any other film, is its execution of this kind of story.
All of the acting performances are brilliantly executed. The interactions between students, teachers, siblings, family, etc. it's all very believable, and when things do get hammy, it's for comedic effect and it's done so just as well.
The comedy in this film is quite effective. There aren't too many comedy bits that are especially memorable but when you're along for the ride, the comedic moments hit just as they'd ought to.
Swing Girls manages to skirt around some plot cliches that, for any other film maker, would have been so easy to utilize to help heighten the drama. This, however, would have only served to dilute this film and instead ti goes its own way while still preserving certain dramatic elements that help to heighten the stakes.
The best element of this film is its charm. Swing Girls manages to deliver this story with a nearly-unmatchable charm. It made the characters and this world, which is already believable, out to be one that you don't want to leave. This film, although feeling like the perfect length, could probably have gone on for longer and I would not have noticed. This film, everyone in it, they are all memorable and charming. Despite having a relatively sizable cast, I could still manage to point out the guy from the supermarket, or the main character's little sister, etc. This film has such charming characters and its delivery so timeless, it's impossible to describe it in any other terms.
Sure, some might say that there wasn't really much of a character arc for most of the characters. Sure, they do evolve in the same way but there's nothing very obvious about the change in the characters. They are all the same personalities that they were at the beginning of the film but, again, those personalities helped to make this film likable. Some might argue that, perhaps, the characters are too archetypal, but having had experience in Japanese schools now, I can see that this film's portrayal isn't necessarily too far off, especially when dealing with strong personalities... which is part of the driving force of the film's premise to begin with.
Swing Girls is a great film and serves as a great example of modern Japanese cinema. My favorite character was Sekiguchi Kaori mostly because I'll always be partial to Trombone players, and seeing the prominence of the role she plays in the band as well as her character quirks, she is incredibly likeable. I cannot recommend this film enough. It is wholesome and, dare I say, it's one of the few films I reviewed here that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Definitely a must watch for anyone.
