Based on the novel “Ganbatte Ikimasshoi/がんばっていきまっしょい” by Yoshiko Shikimura, “Give It All!” tells the story of a team of girls who begin a rowing club at their High School. Shortly after starting at Iyo-Higashi High School, Etsuko (Rena Tanaka) is feeling out-of-place and disillusioned: that is until she sees the male row team practicing in the bay. After her request to join the club is rejected, as it is for boys only, she decides to establish the school’s first female rowing club. She recruits friends and fellow students, played by Mami Shimizu, Wakana Aoi, Kirina Mano and Emu Hisazumi, and soon the girls are fiercely battling against rival schools in competition, despite their lack of experience. They are later helped by a coach, and one-time National Team member, played by Tomoko Nakajima, as they aim to compete in a championship race at Lake Biwa.
“Give It All!”, directed by Itsumichi Isomura follows many of the tropes of a typical feel-good sports film. Our motley team of underdogs, led by Etsuko, with great chemistry as a comedic unit and enough character to be enjoyable in their own rights. We have the expected third act tension, as Etsuko suffers from anaemia and back problems, but this is surprisingly brushed over as she seems to recover miraculously in time for the final race. There is also a High School romance, between Etsuko and childhood friend Sekino (Matsuo Masatoshi) which seems something of an afterthought, as the film cleverly sidelines this in favour of showing us the girls growing friendship and increasing confidence. Their naturalistic performances are aided by the script, with their dialogue, nicknames, and quirks, feeling like a real group of teenagers. Isomura’s direction aids the comedy, with group shots allowing the performances to shine. The film’s cinematography, featuring stunning shots of shimmering golden waters, along with the dreamy score, gives the audience the feeling of a lazy summer afternoon.
While the film itself follows a conventional sports movie arc, it opens with a scene that colours everything that follows. We see a group entering the long-abandoned boat house before being taken back in time to 1976. This framing sets up one of the central themes of the film, reiterated by the girls during a sleepless night: that of the passage of time and the importance of enjoying your youth. The group question what things will be like in the future, nudging the audience to appreciate the value of the memories they are making during their time together. As they note, you only live once, so you need to cherish your friendships and live in the moment. We also see the power of friendship in their fighting for one another during the boat races. The acting and direction in these scenes gives a feeling of genuine pain and suffering; we feel every stroke and every blister. This helps build our sympathy with the characters right up to the final moments. A fun, feel-good sports film with a strong cast of comedic female leads.
