"Love Letter" (Iwai, 1995) (1 Viewer)

[Nick C.]

I read an interview with Tarantino the other day, and he praised Iwai's body of work, saying he's the Japanese Tarantino and the such. I had previously watched 'All About Lily Chou-chou', so sought out his other titles, including 'Swallowtail Butterfly', 'April Story', and 'Love Letter'

The latter I enjoyed immensely, but a few things are left unsaid. Perhaps some folks have seen it of late, or recall details but...Hiroko, upon finding out she looked so much alike Itsuki (female), wondered if her fiance Itsuki (male) really loved her, or just loved her for her resemblance to his junior high crush (he told Hiroko he fell in love with her at 'first sight'). Although we find out he didn't really propose to Hiroko, and she seems to on the track of letting go (at the mountain), I still wonder if anything else is implied about how truthfully his love was for her, and not for the sake of her resemblance
I understand, for the most part, the reasoning for their resemblance, in that it introduces a new set of dynamics that adds to the shared names, lore and perspectives of the two women, sharing this rare common bond.

 

[Pascal A]

I got the impression that their relationship had always been superficial and that the sense of "kismet" that Hiroko had always held on to (that their relationship was not this great, destined coincidence) proved to be an illusion.