Hush!

Girl who has no luck with men finds unlikely partnership with two gay men and she wants to have babies from each one of them. This movie is not for everyone I guess but I see they really care for one another and at times really funny as well.

Hush! Nuevo Nuclear Family!Rating = ***Director: Ryosuke HashiguchiProducers: Tomiyasu Ishikawa et al.DVD2001Film = solid three (3) stars; cinematography/lighting = three (3) stars; subtitles/translations = three (3) stars; DVD video format = two (2) stars. Director Ryosuke Hashiguchi's radical upending of the typical shoahimin eiga (home drama) movie genre is refreshing and hilarious as his satire (Hashiguchi wrote the scenario) goes after just about all the stale components of standard shoahimin eiga (especially those repeatedly exploited by so-called "classical" Japanese movie makers in the past). Hashiguchi's film is also touching as he explores the many road blocks encountered in contemporary society by a lonely gay couple wishing to start a family (child adoption is not an option). Added to the mix is a female protagonist who for medical (related to multiple abortions) and psychological (plain loneliness) reasons is seeking to start a family with a man who "looks like a father." In a chance encounter, she feels that one of the gays has this look! The director is highlighting the partially hidden ongoing cultural clash between heretofore standard family formation, structure, and values (at least as conjured up in movies) and the reality of modern times: one gay's mother is pushing hard for a traditional marriage process and family structure; the other gay's older brother (but not his wife) seems open to new types of family structures (at least on the surface); and then there is the emerging two-dads-one-mom family model depicted in this photo play. Hashiguchi penchant for long, single takes (a good five minutes or so in duration without a cut) channels Hitchcock's usual methodology. But unlike Hitchcock, Hashiguchi's long scenes often end up becoming tedious and ultimately boring. Acting is okay. Subtitles can not be turned off, and tend to be a bit long given their rapid flash rates. Not all dialog is translated. The video formatting used for this DVD seems to be targeting old-style "square" TV screens. It looks pretty bizarre on modern monitors. Rather than expanding the image to full video screen size (at least horizontally), thick black bars surround a miniaturized version of a semi-wide screen. The black borders take up about 50 percent of the video screen's real estate! (Just sit closer!) Concluding scenes seem to be lining things up for a sequel which has yet to emerge. Recommended. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

It surprised me actually that I liked this film as much as I did. It seems a bit long, but nothing unbearable. Interesting, evocative and occasionally amusing: all a round it's a very good movie. It's actually quite similar to Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet (also very good), except Japan is the setting here and Hush! is also a bit darker (as most Japanese films are).The story mainly revolves around three characters: Katsuhiro, a gay man quietly living and working in a predominately straight world; Asako, a solemn & tattered women working as a lab tech. in a dental office; and Naoya, Katsuhiro's eventual lover who's far more out and about with his life, and a fond lover of animals. While sitting by herself in a local restaurant, Asako eavesdrops on part of the conversation between Katsuhiro and Naoya, who were also eating there. They were talking about being (not so) openly gay and their (mostly Katsuhiro's) feelings about fatherhood. As Asako begins to leave the restaurant she finds that someone has stolen her umbrella (and it's raining rather hard outside). Being ignored by management, she eventually leaves angered and upset. Katsuhiro, who noticed the whole ordeal, gives her his company umbrella as he and Naoya leave the restaurant behind her. Asako ultimately tracks down Katsuhiro at his job to return the umbrella that he had given to her. The two start to converse and she eventually asks him if he would father a child with her (through artificial insemination). After some time he agrees. The obvious struggles then begin with Naoya taken aback on the whole idea at first, but other complications also keep the film very interesting: such as a female co-worker of Katsuhiro who grows insatiably obsessed with him; Naoya's charismatic and outspoken mother; and Katsuhiro's sister-in-law who disdainfully censures Asako after delving into her past... Assortments of other things also keep away any tediousness as well.Personally, I thought the film was great; but if you're homophobic or have a low-attention span, then this film may not be for you. If you're open-minded and like semi-sentimental stories, then this one's an excellent choice :).

This film does seem to creep along at times but it truly is a great film. The dynamic between Asako and the somewhat dysfunctional couple of Naoya and Katsuhiro is wonderful. This isn't just a story of two gay men wanting a baby. In fact, that is not what this film is at all. It is a story of what it means to be family, what it means to love and what it means to live. The only part of the movie I felt could have easily been removed is the story arc involving Katsuhiro's co-worker because, really, all it does is cause some confusion and waste a good amount of time that could have better been devoted to explaining and expanding the relationship between Naoya and Katsuhiro. Other than that one thing, I think that the movie has a lot of strong points that more than make up for the sometimes snail's pace. In the modern film culture of bigger, flashier, and faster, it is a bit refreshing to sit down and watch an actual human story without being distracted by constant scene movement and flair.

just like expected, I love it