It was basically 90 minutes of the “Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme” for the whole runtime. No character development for any of the characters, unfocused and minimal story, unimaginative writing with no depth. At least they used more songs from the Mario games instead of pop songs so at least there is one improvement!
The story is incredibly predictable and some of the lines are very cheesy. However, this doesn’t stop the film from being wonderfully heartwarming. Brendan Fraser gives a believable and empathetic performance as a struggling actor while having a great supporting cast. The film also gives a thought-provoking look into a small part of Japan’s culture while exploring the theme of lies, loneliness and connection. This is a worthy watch that leaves you with a positive message.