Haru (Seiyo Uchino) and Hoshi (Eri Fukatsu) meet on an online movie discussion forum and strike up a friendship. As the pair continue to e-mail one another, revealing little by little facts about their lives, their relationship begins to develop from friendship to dependence and perhaps love. Haru is a former American football player, who, having lost the ability to play, is attempting to find meaning in his life. Working as a salesman in Tokyo, his relationship with his girlfriend seems lacking in contrast to the openness he shares with Hoshi. Living in rural Morioka, Hoshi is still reeling from the death of her high-school boyfriend, attempting to make a connection without the danger of emotional distress.
Written and directed by Yoshimitsu Morita, “Haru” offers a look at modern, online, relationships with a unique twist on the romance genre. Almost the entire relationship betwen Haru and Hoshi plays out online, with their e-mail correspondence appearing on-screen, with backgrounds of city streets, ticket-barriers, or other elements of everyday life. Occassionally, the messages will appear on a completely blank screen, in complete silence, or underscored by the beautiful soundtrack provided by Soichi Noriki and Toshihiko Sahashi. It is a bold decision to have the story told in this way, and one that may not appeal to everyone. We do see Haru’s relationship with two women, a girlfriend who leaves for Australia and another companion named Rose (Naho Toda), whose forward approach is in stark contrast to the demure Hoshi’s messages. Meanwhile, Hoshi is also visited by Tobe (Kotaro Takeshita), a friend who is attempting to kindle a relationship following the loss of her partner (who was also named ‘Haru’). There are a number of twists in the story of the two protagonists as their relationship develops, and even small moments are imbued with significance, such as Hoshi revealing her real name, or discussing her change of jobs. The film’s slow pace and unconventional style may be off-putting for those expecting something more melodramatic, but the quiet burgeoning of love between the two, and the seperation between them does build tension and expectation as the film progresses.
“Haru” is a modern love-story that touches on themes of love and loneliness, the way in which humans present different faces to the world, particularly with the anonymity offered by online spaces, and the difficulty in expressing our true emotions to fellow humans. You will spend more time reading the screen than listening to characters, which further establishes this sense of unreality and isolation that the protagonists feel, but the script is well written and their ‘dialogues’ are believable and with enough there to keep you engaged. The film asks us to consider what is truly important in a relationship, with Haru and Hoshi forming a much stronger bond by not meeting than they do with those with whom they share a physical connection. A curious romantic drama that champions the benefits of communication and selfless love, and considers how humans relate to each other in an increasingly isolating world.
