Film Review- Hula Girls

This movie won a Japanese Academy Film Prize in 2007. The movie is set in the 1960s in Fukushima prefecture when Japan was experiencing rapid economic growth (in the post World War Ⅱ period). Most of the men in this town were coal miners. A woman, who is a teacher, was trying to refresh this town and she tried to do that by introducing “Hula dancing” to people living there.

This movie is so moving that I couldn’t stop crying. It shows how people try to make a better town after the war even though they’re in the middle of deep grief. In the beginning girls would learn a hula-dance since they wanted to earn money, or they thought they could go to Hawaii. However, eventually it shows how girls learning to hula-dance cope with life after war and help each other.

Not only is the story gripping, but the use of colour and casting are also beautiful and interesting. Regarding the colour effects, it easily makes you imagine changes in Japan during the 1960’s. I think you would know what a traditional Japanese lifestyle is like thorough this movie. (e.g. how women were working or doing housework, how children were going to school and doing housework).

Now about the cast, there are, of course, famous actors and actresses but comedians are also in the movie. It was unpredictable what would happen with this cast of performers who had such different careers but they work very well together.

As I said, it is a very moving and gripping movie, but there are lots of things to think about when you watch this, so I would recommend watching it when you have enough energy to concentrate on the movie.