Fans of the manga series will surely appreciate this live-action adaptation of 'My Little Monster'.
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Adapted from the popular manga series of the same name and directed by Sho Tsukikawa, a director known for making commercially slick pop-idol teen romance dramas such as ‘Let Me Eat Your Pancreas’ and ‘The 100th Love with You’, ‘My Little Monster’ follows high school student Shizuku, played by model-actress Tao Tsuchiya, who recently appeared in the box office hit ‘The 8-Year Engagement’.
Shizuku is a high-achieving straight-A student, but she is so fixated on her studies that she thoroughly neglects her social life. She has no friends and, needless to say, no boyfriend. Sitting beside her in class is Haru, but Haru seldoms attends school. Shizuku is tasked by her teacher to deliver Haru’s notes and assignments to him, which she does, attracting the attention of Haru, played by singer-actor Masaki Suda.
Known for his unpredictable and violent behaviour, Haru, who seems to suffer from an unusually severe case of ADHD, is ostracised by his schoolmates. When Shizuku visits him at his cousin’s baseball centre, Haru immediately becomes infatuated with Shizuku. He uninhibitedly declares his love, and even his sexual attraction, to her. At first, Shizuku is indifferent to Haru’s loud bumbling advances. But as they spend more time hanging out and getting to know each other, Shizuku becomes more accomodating of Haru.
As the film progresses, we find out there is more to Haru than meets the eye. It turns out Haru is not only highly intelligent but is also the son of a famous politician, who desires that Haru take over his position. Haru’s desire to lead his own life clashes with his father’s plans for him. Shizuku, who comes from a working class background and had no idea of Haru’s privileged, is horrified that Haru is wasting away a potentially great future. Their differences in thinking drive them apart.
Fans of the manga series will surely appreciate this live-action adaptation. Performances are all around decent and Tsukikawa’s clean-cut direction ensures that the story is told straightforwardly and legibly. For non-fans of the manga with no inherent stakes in the movie, it will be a tougher sell. As a romance drama, My Little Monster fares no better than your average Hollywood romance drama.
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