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Family Romance, LLC

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Family Romance, LLC
Film poster
Directed byWerner Herzog
Written byWerner Herzog
Produced byRoc Morin
Starring
  • Yuichi Ishii
  • Mahiro
CinematographyWerner Herzog
Edited bySean Scannell
Music byErnst Reijseger
Production
company
Skellig Rock
Distributed byMubi
Release dates
  • May 18, 2019 (2019-05-18) (Cannes)
  • July 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States[1]
LanguageJapanese

Family Romance, LLC is a 2019 American drama film directed by Werner Herzog.[2][3] It stars Yuichi Ishii and Mahiro Tanimoto.[4] The film had its world premiere in the Special Screenings section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2019.[5][6]

Plot

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Yuichi Ishii runs a rental family service called Family Romance, which serves as an agency to provide rental people to fill in as husbands, friends or other social roles. In doing so, they aim to fill the gaps in people’s lives helping them through challenging problems.

At the film’s outset, Yuichi is fulfilling a contract where he pretends to be the father of 12-year-old Mahiro. Mahiro, who has no memories of her father, is shy and uncertain of Yuichi but slowly begins to welcome him into her life. As Yuichi gains her confidence, Mahiro’s mother asks for information about what her daughter is thinking and saying. As Yuichi grows closer to Mahiro, he begins to guard her secrets and advocate for more freedoms for her.

In between his visits with Mahiro, Yuichi maintains his business. He accepts jobs and continues to fulfill them without any judgement towards his clients. While he completes his contracts, Yuichi considers the nature of artifice and reality after visiting a hotel staffed by robots. Yuichi confides in a friend that he has been having disturbing dreams of actors portraying samurai committing ritual suicide.

Eventually Yuichi travels with Mahiro’s mother to visit an oracle. During their trip, Mahiro’s mother remarks that she is glad to have him as a friend. This makes Yuichi uncomfortable and after their trip he visits a funeral home where he inquires about the possibility of having actors in coffins.

After another visit with Mahiro where she confesses that she loves him and wants to start spending weekends with him as father and daughter, Yuichi informs her mother that it has become too serious and they need to end their contract. Mahiro’s mother invites him to live with them, but Yuichi refuses and apologizes once more before leaving and suggesting that she rent a funeral for the imaginary father.

Yuichi visits his friend, who consoles him and tells him that he believes Family Romance offers a helpful and meaningful service. Yuichi seems unconvinced and wonders if his own family could be rented people who are faking their emotions for him.

The film closes with Yuichi returning to his own home. As he approaches he hears voices inside and a small set of children’s hands press against frosted glass on the front door. Yuichi hides from the unseen child and slumps next to the door.

Cast

[edit]
  • Yuichi Ishii
  • Mahiro Tanimoto

Production

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The film casts non-professional actors speaking Japanese.[3] It was shot in the spring and summer of 2018 in Tokyo and Aomori Prefecture, Japan.[7] The production wrapped in August that year.[8] Herzog shot about 300 to 350 minutes of footage in total.[9] The film features music by Ernst Reijseger.[10]

Release

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The film had its world premiere in the Special Screenings section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2019.[5][6] It also screened at the 46th Telluride Film Festival[11] and the 24th Busan International Film Festival.[12]

In June 2020, Mubi acquired video-on-demand and television rights to the film in North America, Germany, Hispanic America, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.[13] The film was screened for free on the streaming service for 24 hours on July 3, 2020.[14]

Reception

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On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 73% based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A fascinating exploration of human connection, Family Romance, LLC sees Werner Herzog following an unconventional path to existentialism."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, calling it "A strange, faintly frustrating but diverting film."[17] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "This is minor Herzog, to be sure, but alternately amusing and disarming nonetheless."[18] Peter Debruge of Variety commented that "Not quite 90 minutes, the film might actually be more effective at half the length."[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Family Romance, LLC". AlloCiné. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Pulver, Andrew (April 18, 2019). "Cannes 2019: new films from Terrence Malick and Ken Loach – but no Tarantino". The Guardian. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Kohn, Eric (April 18, 2019). "20 Shocks and Surprises From the 2019 Cannes Lineup, From Werner Herzog to Xavier Dolan". IndieWire. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  4. ^ Nordine, Michael (May 10, 2019). "'Family Romance, LLC' Trailer: Werner Herzog's Secretive Japan Project Is Here". IndieWire. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Cannes festival 2019: full list of films". The Guardian. May 6, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Trumbore, Dave (May 10, 2019). "'Family Romance, LLC' Trailer Reveals a Fascinating Film from Werner Herzog". Collider. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  7. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (May 10, 2019). "Cannes: Trailer Unveiled for Werner Herzog's Japanese Movie 'Family Romance, LLC' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  8. ^ Kohn, Eric (September 11, 2018). "Werner Herzog Says He's Acting in 'a Big Franchise Film' and Shot a Secret Movie in Japan — Exclusive". IndieWire. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  9. ^ Clarke, Stewart (May 17, 2019). "Werner Herzog on Funding His New Film: 'The Only Thing I Haven't Done Is Bank Robbery'". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  10. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (April 23, 2019). "Film Constellation Boards Werner Herzog's Japanese Film 'Family Romance, LLC' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  11. ^ Hammond, Pete (August 29, 2019). "Telluride Film Festival: 'Ford V Ferrari', 'Judy', 'Motherless Brooklyn', Weinstein-Inspired Drama 'The Assistant' Among Premieres Headed To 46th Edition – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  12. ^ Brasor, Philip (October 11, 2019). "Hirokazu Kore-eda talks politics as Japan flexes its movie muscle in Busan". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  13. ^ Barraclough, Leo (June 10, 2020). "MUBI Acquires Werner Herzog's 'Family Romance, LLC' for North America, Multiple Territories (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  14. ^ Barraclough, Leo (June 29, 2020). "Werner Herzog's 'Family Romance, LLC' to Launch in U.S. on MUBI With Special Event (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  15. ^ "Family Romance, LLC". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Family Romance, LLC". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  17. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (May 18, 2019). "Family Romance review – Herzog's 'fake family' film is fascinating but fishy". The Guardian. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  18. ^ McCarthy, Todd (May 18, 2019). "'Family Romance, LLC': Film Review | Cannes 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  19. ^ Debruge, Peter (May 18, 2019). "Cannes Film Review: 'Family Romance, LLC'". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
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