AllMovie

Veteran director Shinji Somai helms this coming-of-age tale about a school-aged lass named Renko (Chieko Tabata) struggling to come to terms with her parents' divorce. The film opens with Renko's mother Nazuna (Junko Sakurada) and father Ken'ichi (Kiichi Nakai) coolly talking about their impending breakup. The following day, Ken'ichi drives off with his belongings to his new apartment. Nazuna tries as best she can to fill the void, but Renko still dreams about reuniting her fractured family. Her first attempt -- locking herself in the bathroom -- ends terribly, complete with tearful arguments and angry recriminations. The second attempt, a surprise visit by her father during a vacation along Lake Biwa, also ends badly. This time, Renko realizes that there is no fixing her parents' broken bonds. While on a walk during a fire festival, she manages to accept it and move on.