The Long Excuse

(Nagai iiwake, 永い言い訳)

Sachio (Masahiro Motoki), a celebrity novelist, discovers that his wife of many years has died in an accident but is unable to shed a tear. Having been with another woman at the time of his wife’s death, Sachio now discovers he must play the role of a grieving husband. Then, he meets Yoichi, the devastated widower of his wife’s friend who also died in the accident, leaving two young children behind. Without really knowing why, Sachio offers to look after them while their father is at work. With his newfound family, Sachio begins to come to terms with the void left by his wife.

Based on director Miwa Nishikawa’s own novel, this gently humorous drama is a fascinating portrait of a character with dubious morality and deceitful inner thoughts. The film stars Masahiro Motoki, in his first big screen leading role since his performance in the Academy Award-winning Departures.

2016/124 min/English Subtitles

 

永い言い訳

不倫相手と密会していた人気作家の幸夫は、友人と旅に出ていた妻が事故死したとの知らせを受ける。世間に対し「悲しむ夫」を演じるしかない幸夫。そんなある日、共に命を落とした妻の親友の幼い子供たちを見て、幸夫は彼らの世話を買って出るが……。誰かの役に立つことに救いを見出した男性の姿を温かく描いた人間ドラマ。監督の西川美和は本作の原作で直木賞候補に選ばれた。

監督: 西川美和
出演: 本木雅弘、竹原ピストル、池松壮亮

(Special thanks to Eikoku News Digest)

 

Special Note from the director, Miwa Nishikawa:

It’s been around two years since I finished this film. The fact that since I handed it over it has received this opportunity to screen as far away from Japan as the UK, to touch people of different cultures and ways of life, to elicit new responses and new critique, has made me realize that a film really does have a life of its own, and allowed me to take pride in my work.

I hope you will be glad, in however small a way, that you spent two hours watching this film.

作品が完成してから約二年が経ちますが、私の手を離れてからもこうして日本から遠く離れた英国で作品が上映され、文化や暮らしぶりの異なる方々の目に触れ、新たな感想を持たれたり、批評してもらう機会が頂けると、「映画って生きているんだな」と思えますし、自分の仕事にも誇りを持つことができます。映画を観ていただく２時間が、あなたにとって少しでも良い時間でありますように。

西川美和