Last Friends (2008)

I've been thinking to write about this movie, I always forget to write this. This one also was an old drama, but I'm sure this one is an interesting movie to watch. This drama has a dark plot inside it. Although the title is Last Friends, I could say that the ending is not really bright. And some conflict you will see in this drama really hard to digest. I mean there are violence described in this drama and beside that the love story also seems complicated. But after all this drama made me addicted to watch until finish. Not only because this drama full of great actors and actresses, but also the plot is really clean. No wonder it can achieve ratting 17.7 in average (source: dramawiki). 

Many review and award given for this drama. 1st Tokyo Drama Award give this drama as best Youth Drama, and Ueno Juri Awarded as Best Actress. 12th Nikan Sports Drama Grand Prix awarded Ueno Juri as Best Actress and Ryo Nishikido as Best supporting Actor. In  57th television drama academy award it receive a lot of award there are best drama, Best Supporting actress Ueno Juri, Best Supporting Actor Ryo Nishikido, best director Kato Hiromasa, Nishisaka Mizuki, Endo Mitsutaka, best script Asano Taeko, and best theme song "Prisoner of Love" sung by Utada Hikaru. (source: dramawiki) 

(source: google image)

The plot revolved around Michiru Aida (Nagasawa Minami). Michiru Aida is just a plain normal girl who work at a salon. She has a boyfriend who works in child welfare division and planning to move to his apartment Oikawa Sosuke (Ryo Nishikido). She accidentally met with her high school Kishimoto Ruka (Ueno Juri). This reunion off course made Michiru happy. Living with the one she loved and meeting with her best friend is the best gift she had. But her boyfriend didn't seem to like Ruka. He get jealous of her. And what Michiru didn't know is her boyfriend is an overprotective type. He easily lay hand on Michiru. 

Michiru come from unhappy family, her mother usually bring man to home, in work she always bullied. She always think that if she wait someday happiness will come. She feel that she share the same feeling with Sosuke. Sosuke, despite his violence actually he just afraid to be left. The memories of past made him an overprotective person so that he didn't loose anyone, but what he has done made Michiru suffers.

With Machiko being abused, Haruka get mad at Michiru's boyfriend. She asked her to move out to her dorm, a mixed dorm. But Michiru is to naive, she still think that her boyfriend will change. But she wrong, her boyfriend didn't permit her to work again although becoming a beautician is her dream. He didn't even permit Michiru to hang out with Ruka. Seeing bruise all over Ruka, Mizushima Takeru (Eita), Takigawa Eri (Mizukawa Asami), and Ogura Tomohiko (Yamazaki Shigenori) who were in dorm can't stand it. And trying to protect Michiru.

Looking how care Ruka to her friend, Takeru grow a feeling to her. And Ruka seem to enjoy herself around Takeru too. Like the others Takeru has a guilt of the past that made him afraid of the opposite gender. But being with Ruka seems didn't affect him. He didn't know that Ruka hide some secret with her. A secret that her parents didn't even know. A secret that made Sosuke who realized it, get jealous of her.

Eri was a stewardess and Ogura was a pilot. Eri who hasn't a man meet with Ogura who is his work colleague. Ogura is a pilot who has a family problem. Being betrayed by his wife that has an affair he decided to move out to dorm. Ogura and Eri shared a feeling too, although they seems love each other Ogura didn't have a courage to divorced his wife.

As the stories goes on, finally Michiru decided to break up with Sousuke, and leave with the others. But the happiness didn't last long. Sosuke always stalk Michiru. To protect her, Takeru decided to accompany Michiru. And Michiru fall in love with him, without knowing that Takeru love her friends, Ruka. He accidentally met Sousuke and said to him that she already has someone to love. This made Sosuke jealous. Sosuke beat up Takeru in his way home. This made Takeru's hand injured and made him can't work. Though that time Takeru finally receive a bigger job as a makeup artist that was his dream. Michiru think it is her fault and decided to go back to Sosuke.

In the end, how will Machiko and Sosuke relationship will go? Will Ruka able to receive the feeling of Takeru? And what secret did Ruka hide? And will Ogura decided to divorced his wife and leave with Eri?

(all image source: google image)

This one is a heavy drama. Ryo Nishikido who play as Oikawa Sosuke, really did a great job! He has a feel like psychopath in this movie. I always respect him as a member in Kanjani8, but this drama make me respect him as an actor also. You will know when you watch this movie that he was over load with charisma. And because of his role in this drama he got awarded as best supporting.

Another great act was coming from Ueno Juri. Well, she is out of the question about how she act. Since I watch her performance in Nodame Cantabile, I began to admire her. I really can't wait to see her new drama with TOP 'big bang'. I want to see her ability to act with other language.

Although I can't describe all of the actor and actress, everyone really did a good job too. Eita and Mizukawa Asami is admirable as usual~~ Unfortunately they didn't play as a couple again in this drama like in Nodame. Well I admire them since Nodame Cantabile too, while they playing with Ueno Juri. Eita also was one of my favorite actor. He always play many different character.

If I must talk objectively than I will say this is a really good drama. The only weakness I see is some of stories seems didn't described well. Yah I mean the stories about Takeru past. I know what it is, but I felt it isn't too detailed.

After all, if you want to watch a romance genre but too tired to watch an usual love genre that this drama can be the solution. Although it's about romance the plot will still ask you to think about this drama. Especially about violence that seems happened to children.

Jaa, happy watching~~ :)