Based on a best-selling novel by mystery author Keigo Higashino, “The Miracles of the Namiya General Store” tells the story of a group of people connected by an orphanage and a peculiar store that allows messages to be sent through time. The film begins with three young men, Shota (Nijiro Murakami), Kohei (Kanichiro), and Atsuya (Ryosuke Yamada), on the run after committing a burglary. They hide out in the titular store, now abandoned, hoping that at sunrise they will be able to disappear into the crowds of commuters. While waiting, a letter drops through a slot in the shutters, apparently from 32 years prior in 1980. The trio discover that the previous owner, Mr. Namiya (Toshiyuki Nishida), had answered queries from residents and they decide to post a reply in the milk box outside, as he used to do. Miraculously their message is recieved in 1980 and they begin a correspondance with a young musician (Kento Hayashi) in the past. They later help out another young woman who is worrying about her finances. Meanwhile, in the past, Mr. Namiya is able to receive letters from the future, offering him a chance to appreciate the effect he has had on the community.
Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki with a screenplay by Hiroshi Saito, “The Miracles of the Namiya General Store” is a charming drama about connection and helping your fellow individuals. It has several tropes of the traditional tear-jerker: orphaned children, a sacrifice to save others, cancer, suicide attempts, and redemption. The characters are interesting, but due to the abundance of plots it can be hard to sympathise with any one in particular, with the various sorrowful tales becoming overwhelming. The ensemble cast, which also includes Machiko Ono, Riko Narumi, and Rio Yamashita, do a great job and all of the plots do tie together at the end. It is interesting to see the three different time periods of the film, the late 60s, 1980, and 2012 and they do a good job with the changing fashions and sets. There are moments where the film’s pacing does drag, such as a lengthy sequence of a song performance that, while central to the plot, could have been cut down significantly. The footage of the singer Seri (Mugi Kadowaki), dancing on a beach during this musical interlude, suggests even the filmmakers were unsure how to fill the time.
While it is melodramatic, the film executes the drama with panache, and there are sure to be at least a couple of the stories that resonate with you. Whether it is Mr. Namiya’s dedication to providing top-class advice even in difficult situations, the plight of the orphanage, Seri’s attempts to repay the debt owed to her by the man who sacrificed himself to save her brother, or a young high-schooler whose parentage drives her to depression. The film has a strong message of believing in hope even in the most seemingly hopeless situations and also about the importance of helping others and the impact our lives have on one another. It doesn’t pay to think to closely about the mechanics of how the letters are transported through time, or the various paradoxes this would create, but it is a fun conceit to drive the drama between the interconnected characters. Worth a watch for fans of emotionally charged human drama.
