Call Me Chihiro

This Japanese drama tells the story of a former sex-worker who has changed jobs and is looking to not be defined by her former career. Chihiro works in a small bento shop as the counter clerk and becomes a local favorite because she actually pays attention to people. She befriends an old homeless guy, a couple of school girls, a latch-key kid, the old woman/wife of the shop owner. In each case, she makes a friend and helps each to discover more about themselves as they explore next phases of life, while she herself struggles with many of the same questions. It is basically a 'slice-of-life' film, with the slice encompassing a middle fraction of Chihiro's transformation. There is a lot we don't know about her history, and we don't get the end of the story either. But still I felt resolution. And the pacing of this film is perfect. It is slow, with plenty of time both for subtitles and for breathing between scenes. In fact, I can't imagine this film working in english. Well worth the watch and one I will likely return to.

5 stars (our of 5)