Review of Mr. Hikita, I Am Knocked Up

A small but clever film loaded with humorous one-liners as well as amusing (and psychologically adroit) situations involving an age mismatched, childless couple suddenly deciding to have a baby. She is physiologically ready to boogie. He not so much. One of the stars of this film is the excellent and comprehensive script (which even includes the role of pomegranates in pregnancies) well executed by actors refreshingly underplaying most of their scenes. Among the gems is a scene in a fertility clinic where the anxious couple is ambushed with techno-babble by their physician. Another involves a father-in-law curmudgeon using cash to negatively motivate his son in law (or rather his son in law's sperm) to try harder (and get even by paying him back later with interest). (Hey, it seems like everything else has been tried!) Director Tôru Hosokawa (who also wrote the screen play) does a bang up job (pun intended) all round. The film slows down a bit around the mid point with too many repetitive scenes used to make a point. The couple have an aquarium filled with jelly fish which could be symbolic in several ways including that these invertebrates don't need each other except maybe for reproduction, but humans (at least in this movie) need the companionship and emotional comfort of others ~ always. Highly recommended. Viewed at a JICC Virtual J-film event. WILLIAM FLANIGAN.