Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

Isshin Inudo's 2003 Japanese film adapts a short story by Seiko Tanabe. Tsuneo, who works part-time at a mahjong parlour, comes across a young woman being wheeled through the street in a pram; she cannot walk and lives with her grandmother. She has named herself Josee. The two become friends and the relationship slowly turns into something else. The film makes disability neither a story about obstacles nor a lesson in inspiration; Josee is stubborn, sharp-tongued and grateful to nobody, while Tsuneo pulls back as he becomes aware of his own limits. The ending stays deliberately clear of the resolution Japanese romantic drama usually reaches for, and is the most discussed thing about it. Chizuru Ikewaki's performance drew considerable praise. Who it's for: viewers who like quiet Japanese romantic drama and endings that break the usual pattern. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a romance that ends happily; the film withholds that comfort.