LAUNDRY (2001)
Directed by Junichi Mori
Starring: Yosuke Kubozuka, Koyuki
Genre: Drama/Romance
Running Time: 126mins

Rating:

Teru works at the village laundromat. Given the job by his grandmother, he keeps guard day in day out, his day - a series of events. A routine. Until Mizue, a beautiful but tragic young woman leaves an item of clothing in the dryer. The simple-minded Teru driven by a sense of duty leaves his post to return the item to her. Mizue, a lonely soul lives alone seeking company, Teru is the ideal companion, uncomplicated and loyal.

Despite their obvious differences they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another, a sense of comfort in a lonely world. However, after leaving another item in the dryer Mizue decides to return to her homeland leaving Teru clutching at the garment in the laundromat with nowhere to go. It takes the reluctant sale of the laundromat to shake Teru's world breaking his daily routine. With nowhere to go, he journeys across the country to Mizue's homeland to return the dress she left behind.

Laundry is a film or rare beauty, a film about love and triumph over adversity that successfully sidesteps the overly sentimental trappings that usually plagues its genre. Told at a liesurely pace through the eyes of our idiot savant guide Teru (a wonderfully subtle performance from Ping Pong's Yosuke Kubozuka) you cannot help but be enchanted by the free-flowing narrative that encompasses a range of supporting characters finding comfort in Teru's non-confrontational, loyal, simplistic approach to life.

From Koyuki's emotionally unstable, tragic Mizue (forever hiding her true desires, her true self) to the fiery exterior of former salaryman Sally (who now releases pigeons at weddings and funerals) each encounter beautifully and skillfully unwravels their insecurities, yearning for a helping hand, or just a listening ear, someone to take from them what they have to gave without question.

Truth be told, it would seem on paper to be a recipe for a sentimental slushy disaster. However, the direction by Junichi Mori is so assured, the cinematography so exquisite and the script so subtle (never giving way to what could be referred to as Hollywood romanticism) that not for one minute do you feel in danger of a cringeworthy moment. It's clear from the very start of the film, as Teru introduces us to the various eccentricities of the laundry's "regular" patrons that we are in very safe hands indeed. And echoes of Amelie aside, a work of subtle wit and originality.

It's very hard to pinpoint just what it is about Laundry that makes it so entertaining, and work so well. To put it as simply as I can, it's a feel good movie that strikes a perfect balance between happiness and tragedy, breaking your heart at times only to heal it in the next scene. In short, the film is a personnification of Teru as described in the trailer. A healer of all wounds, a comfort, a film that warms you, making you smile with the laughter and cry with the tears. It's an emotional connection so assured and strong that you become a part of its existence, and grateful for it.

As hard as it may be to imagine from the previous few paragraphs, but there are some minor flaws with the film. Namely the running time. Clocking in at over two hours it really is too long for what is essentially a simplistic story. The pace sags somewhat in the final third, and one can only imagine what some tighter editing could have done to improve this already impressive film.

Still, this is a minor complaint that fails to leave a lasting mark on the superb collaboration between the director and the note perfect performances of his cast, added to this a touching, emotional score that you will hum for days and you're left with a complete experience. A film of sheer beauty that holds its own, never resorting to sentiment, never disobeying it's vision.

Recommended.