Name: Hikinige Family
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1992-12-19
Duration: 1 h 40 min
Rating: 7.3
Cast: Kyôzô Nagatsuka, Mie Nakao, Chiharu

Poor Motomura-san. Things are less than wonderful in his home life and, on the way home, a sudden rainstorm and a failed attempt to light a cigarette while driving lead him to run over a young cyclist. He wants to give himself up, but his wife convinces him that he'll lose everything if he does. So they bring the dented car into the loungeroom and get to work, systematically scrapping it. Once the viewer accepts the premise, which is skilfully sold by the sincerity of the actors, this dark farce is involving and compelling all the way. Of course, things have to go wrong and people need to pry. The nosy neighbour is strongly modelled on Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched, and her snooping ways keep the family on edge until they take even more drastic action. While the film is generally played for laughs, the plot skips along at a fine pace and is helped along by a series of well-placed shocks. Once again, it was a pleasure to see the Japan Foundation screen such a rare treat on film and, as this one does not appear to have been released on DVD, even in Japan, will probably be a true once-off. And a wicked delight it was too.

Japanese cinema is celebrated for its refined minimalist dramas and avant-garde experimentation; it also introduced popular genres like jidaigeki (samurai epics), kaiju, and anime. Across both high art and mass entertainment, it often explores morality, impermanence, and the pressures of modern life.

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The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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It was a dark and rainy night. Momentarily distracted, salaryman Motomura runs over a young lady on a bicycle, panics and flees the scene. In discussion with his family, they all agree to cover up the crime, reported on the news the following day. The front of the car is damaged, so they clear a space in the loungeroom and bring the car inside. The family works at scrapping the car and disposing of the parts. Motomura's family is riven with crises, but co-operation in the conspiracy seems to bring them together. However, the attention of a nosy neighbour threatens the scheme.

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Hikinige Family

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