Aichaku – Movie Review & Film Summary

Luke, also known as Lucas, is a 35-year-old American expat who has spent the last five years living in Japan. He works as an English tutor at a local language school and leads a quiet life. Lucas rents a room in a modest home owned by Yoshiro and her daughter, Marie. Despite the language barrier, Yoshiro is cheerful and determined to speak English with her tenant. She often encourages Marie to practice with him too. However, Marie barely manages more than a few words and seems reluctant to talk with him.

Luke works alongside Erika, his boss at the language school. Lately, things haven't been going well. Despite their efforts to promote the school, enrollment numbers are low. In addition, Luke's work visa is set to expire in two weeks. There's still no confirmation on whether it will be renewed. Without an extension, he'll have no choice but to leave Japan. With time ticking down and no clear answers, his future in the country remains uncertain.

Although Luke can speak Japanese, he still runs into locals who treat him like a clueless foreigner. They talk down to him or assume he can't understand basic phrases. He tries to brush it off, but the condescension wears thin. His love life isn't much better. Luke goes on blind dates with men who are more interested in dating a foreigner than in having a meaningful relationship. Luke is close to his mother, who wants him to make the most of his experience. Since he has the privilege of living abroad, she encourages him to seize this opportunity to meet more people.

Luke occasionally crosses paths with Ken, who works nearby. When Luke bikes to the language school, he rides past Ken's workplace. The two haven't spoken yet, but they've noticed each other around town. Ken lives with his uncle and works at his company in a low-paying position, mostly out of obligation. His uncle wants to promote him to a management role, but Ken isn't thrilled about the extra responsibilities. His coworker Ryosuke has his eye on the same promotion. He thinks Ken might get the job due to family ties, so the tension between them is building.

Ken has been dating Ryosuke's sister, Kumi, for the past three years, but their relationship has stalled. Although she's ready to get married, Ken doesn't seem interested in settling down with her. Eventually, Kumi's frustration boils over. She causes a commotion at a restaurant, which unfolds in front of Luke. Later, Ken shows up at the language school, interested in taking a class. He finally speaks with Luke for the first time. They get to know each other better and form an unexpected connection.

Aichaku is told from the perspective of an American living and working in Japan. One of the central storylines is how the main character navigates cultural differences. There are playful moments that poke fun at this, like when a stranger exclaims, "Look, a foreigner!" or a waiter greets him with, "Hamburger! Delicious!" While these scenes are delivered with a wink, the film uses cheeky humour to highlight the difficulties of living abroad. It's tough to feel like you belong to a community when everyone treats you as an outsider.

The humour is one of the movie's strengths. Although I wouldn't classify Aichaku as a comedy, this lighthearted film never takes itself too seriously. It sprinkles in a few jokes here and there to keep the mood playful. Some of Luke's experiences are meant to be amusing, such as going on a hilariously cringy bad date. These scenes are entertaining enough to maintain the story's early momentum. As you laugh at Luke's awkward moments, you also get a better sense of who he is. The audience can relate to his struggles and feel more invested in his journey.

Unfortunately, Luke and Ken's romance is a flop. These two characters are supposed to be strangers who don't know each other's names. Yet, they suddenly become besties and spend a whole day together. This random relationship feels contrived instead of letting the couple bond organically over time. I'm also confused by how quickly they share their secrets. Ken unloads his entire childhood trauma onto a guy he barely knows. Why the hell are you telling him about your estranged mother!? The oversharing doesn't make sense at this stage of their relationship.

Ken begins the movie as a brooding character with a tough guy demeanour. Think stern gazes, stoic expressions, and a permanent scowl. But strangely enough, his attitude changes the moment he meets Luke. Suddenly, he's smiley, chatty, and almost too personable. It took me a while to get used to his random personality transplant. As the story unfolds, I suspect that Ken suffers from poor characterization. Instead of creating a complex protagonist, Ken comes across as inconsistent. The script can't decide what kind of person he's supposed to be.

Both leads give flawed performances. Luke's actor (Christopher McCombs) has an overeagerness that makes it obvious he's performing a scene. His co-star (Christopher Nishizawa) comes across as stiff, especially in scenes that require emotional depth. On a shallow note, Ken's actor is quite hunky. You'll be pleased to know Aichaku includes plenty of gratuitous shirtless scenes, showcasing his physique as much as possible. A memorable moment is when he rises from the hot springs, clutching only a tiny towel for modesty. My heart almost skipped a beat! 😳

Aichaku falls apart in the second half. The plot grows too ridiculous and descends into nonsense. From the unbelievable romance to the unrealistic storylines, everything feels too contrived. The lowest point is when Luke whines about how much his life sucks, and his self-pity gets on my nerves. Despite rolling my eyes at many scenes, this movie doesn't really offend me. Aichaku is silly and cheeky enough that I don't take anything too seriously. I won't claim it's a well-written film, but my feelings have softened to mild appreciation rather than a harsh critique.