Web: Cast, Bios and Additonal Details at IMDbDirector: Kei Kaneda
Writers:
Complete Credits: Full Cast, Crew & Credits
Genre: Drama | Romance
Awards: n/a
Run Time: 72 min.
Spoken Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Subtitled in English
Quote:
"The future's still far away.
There's no point in thinking about it anyways.
Thinking about it won't make everything perfect.
Only...living like this everyday. That is my wish.
The supposed words of devotion, do they really exist?
Does what comes out of your mouth really become reality?
It would be great if all the words of devotion that I say to you would become reality." ~ Otani
Synopsis:
This wistful, softly lensed film that touches on coming-of-age issues and the ambiguities of male love and friendship. "Ai no Kotodama", a.k.a. "Words of Devotion", is a sensitive bishonen (a young man whose beauty and sexual appeal transcend the boundary of sexual orientation) romance that avoids the cliches with a touching and realistic story. One day Yuki (Matsuoka Rinako, Nodame Cantabile) bumps into her old classmates Otani (Tokuyama Hidenori) and Tachibana (Saito Yasuka), whom she was very close to in high school. Ootani and Tachibana have been inseparable since high school and are now attending the same university, live together, are happy and everything seems prefect. But their little world is disrupted with this unexpected arrival of Yuki, who seems to have a crush on Tachibana, making Ootani feel jealous and insecure. Seeing how close the two are, Yuki jokes that it is trendy to be gay, and then realizes that she touched on the truth. Revisiting the past through flashback, Otani and Tachibana's long relationship is gradually revealed, from their confused high school friendship to their confession of love after graduation and the maturing of that love through self discovery and self acceptance.
Independent Review:
" Love and Friendship"
"Ai No Kotodama is a simple and easygoing movie about love and friendship between two men. The two main characters have two completely different personalities; Ootani is outgoing and lively, while Tachibana is more reserved and introspective. The relationship between the two is very natural and cute, and as you watch the movie, the overall mood is pretty happy, even in hard times, making this an easy watch. Another highlight of this movie is the acting. Both characters are VERY convincing and fitting for their roles. It was a simple story, that flowed easily and was an enjoyable watch." ~ Anon.
Independent Review:
" Be Pleased to Add This to My Collection"
"Words of Devotion" the story about two close friends (Tachibana and Otani) who have been living together since college is well done. The two boys personalities are distinctly different yet they seem to contrast each other nicely. They have sex and care for each other, yet refuse to acknowledge their love to each other or their friends. Some parts of their story are told from their female friend's view point and this adds a uniquely fresh perspective to the story and the guys' relationship as the girl is in love with one of them. " ~ R.P. (Tokyo, Japan)
This wistful, softly lensed film that touches on coming-of-age issues and the ambiguities of male love and friendship. "Ai no Kotodama", a.k.a. "Words of Devotion", is a sensitive bishonen (a young man whose beauty and sexual appeal transcend the boundary of sexual orientation) romance that avoids the cliches with a touching and realistic story. One day Yuki (Matsuoka Rinako, Nodame Cantabile) bumps into her old classmates Otani (Tokuyama Hidenori) and Tachibana (Saito Yasuka), whom she was very close to in high school. Ootani and Tachibana have been inseparable since high school and are now attending the same university, live together, are happy and everything seems prefect. But their little world is disrupted with this unexpected arrival of Yuki, who seems to have a crush on Tachibana, making Ootani feel jealous and insecure. Seeing how close the two are, Yuki jokes that it is trendy to be gay, and then realizes that she touched on the truth. Revisiting the past through flashback, Otani and Tachibana's long relationship is gradually revealed, from their confused high school friendship to their confession of love after graduation and the maturing of that love through self discovery and self acceptance.
Independent Review:
" Love and Friendship"
"Ai No Kotodama is a simple and easygoing movie about love and friendship between two men. The two main characters have two completely different personalities; Ootani is outgoing and lively, while Tachibana is more reserved and introspective. The relationship between the two is very natural and cute, and as you watch the movie, the overall mood is pretty happy, even in hard times, making this an easy watch. Another highlight of this movie is the acting. Both characters are VERY convincing and fitting for their roles. It was a simple story, that flowed easily and was an enjoyable watch." ~ Anon.
Independent Review:
" Be Pleased to Add This to My Collection"
"Words of Devotion" the story about two close friends (Tachibana and Otani) who have been living together since college is well done. The two boys personalities are distinctly different yet they seem to contrast each other nicely. They have sex and care for each other, yet refuse to acknowledge their love to each other or their friends. Some parts of their story are told from their female friend's view point and this adds a uniquely fresh perspective to the story and the guys' relationship as the girl is in love with one of them. " ~ R.P. (Tokyo, Japan)
