A Good Husband - North American Premiere

AMAZING film by Isao Yukisada based on a play by Mayumi Nakatani. Saw it yesterday at the Big Cinemas Manhattan (Former ImaginAsian). Story was based around this douche-bag husband who had multiple affairs with other women while he was married to his wife of ten years. She catches him in the beginning of the movie and confronts him of the affairs, 10 of which she knows of. She asks for a divorce and the story goes from the there.

and here's the official info provided by www.newyork-tokyo.com/wp/

"INTRODUCTION

A couple has been married for 10 years. The husband is unfaithful but his wife continues to love him. One day, an incident befalls them. The husband tearfully confesses to his wife, “I promise to be a good husband.”

A Good Husband is originally a play by Mayumi Nakatani. Her works are staged internationally.

STORY

Ten years into his marriage, Shunsuke Kitami, who once had a thriving career as a still photographer, now mostly picks fights with his wife, Sakura. Breaking his marriage vow to Sakura to “Have children and always be faithful,” he cheats constantly. Sakura, who is desperate to have a child, finally erupts and right before Christmas, drags her reluctant husband on a vacation to Okinawa.

About one year later, Shunsuke has mysteriously lost his will to work and is living a self-indulgent life off his quickly dwindling savings. Shunsuke shows no interest in the photo assignments his assistant Makoto and Bunta bring to him. Fed up with Shunsuke, Sakura goes on a trip by herself. While she’s gone, Shunsuke invites Ranko, an aspiring actress to his house.

When Sakura comes home two weeks later, an irritated Shunsuke lashes out at her. Sakura responds, “So, you’re ready to live alone?” and disappears upstairs.

Several days later, as Sakura asks Shunsuke for a divorce, she asks her bewildered husband to take a picture of her to “commemorate our divorce.” Reluctantly Shunsuke picks up his camera and starts taking pictures again.

After Sakura leaves him, Shunsuke spends time in his dark room, alone with the last photographs he took of his wife.

One photo after another develops in the darkroom but all they reveal are a blurry background. Sakura is not in any of the images. Finally, an image of Sakura appears in one of the photos. It is an image of Sakura running away, her back facing the camera.

DIRECTOR: Isao Yukisada

Isao Yukisada made his youthful cinematic reputation with GO and Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World. With A Good Husband, he has directed a fantasy for adults.

CAST: Etsushi Toyokawa

Etsushi Toyokawa plays the husband, Shunsuke. After achieved international acclaim in Love Letter and other Shunji Iwai, he has recently performed in Sinking of Japan, Hula Girls, and 20^th Century Boys.

CAST: Hiroko Yakushimaru

Hiroko Yakushimaru playes the wife, Sakura. With her riveting debut in Proof of the Wild as a teenager, she has established her as an iconic actress. Best known for her recent performance in Always."

~~SPOILER: So you find out in the end that the couple did in fact go to Okinowa for Christmas. Even there Shunsuke was a jerk and Sakura finally gave in and couldn't take it anymore asking for a divorce. She also requests one last photo of herself which Shun grudgingly agrees too. She notices that she didn't have her ring so she runs back to the hotel to find it. On her way there she got into an accident and dies. In the movie a year has past since her death and who we believe is Sakura is actually the figment of his imagination. He wasn't able to get past her premature death and the guilt of how horribly he treated her but is finally able to move on after addressing the reality that she was gone.

Pictures courtesy of newyork-tokyo.com and asianmoviepulse.com (http://www.asianmoviepulse.com/2010/02/22/a-good-husband-2010-japan-trailer/)