Big hair, big hugs, big personalities … that’s what it takes to be American, right? I’d be mildly offended if that didn’t smack of truth at least a little. Now, is American-ism a cure for lonely? I daresay it can be if you’re the kind of lonely in which game shows seem like a step-up. And that applies to today’s lonely heroine, Setsuko, a.k.a. “Lucy.”
Suppose you work a dead-end job in a terrible office place. Is it better if society pretends to care or doesn’t? Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) works in one of those offices the color and mood of drab gray you can find in Japanese business interiors – places where only employees dwell, so there’s no need for frills. Where’s the worst venue you ever worked a day job? Trailer? Toll booth? The Seattle Kingdome? Somehow the drear is made all the worse that Setsuko, ignored peon by day, level three hoarder by night, hates her job, boss, and co-workers. She doesn’t say so explicitly, but if you work a job, you know.
You know what you need, Setsuko? To be conned. And who’s there with an ulterior motive, but her niece, Mika (Shioli Kutsuna). Mika needs some dough but has foolishly spent it on English lessons. Say, Setsuko, I have an idea … why don’t you take the English lessons in my place and pay me the money? Here, try a free one on for good size. It sounds like a scam. It feels like a scam. It even smells like a scam. However, there is indeed a place where English lessons are given and professor John (Josh Hartnett – where have you been, young man?) has some teaching techniques that feel a lot more like culture immersion than language lessons: Setsuko is given a blonde wig, a new American name (“Lucy”), and taught a physical greeting. Watching stiff, self-contained, and reserved Japanese folks attempt American flamboyance is the true delight of Oh Lucy!
And then, of course, Mika and John run off to Los Angeles on Setsuko’s dime. Aha! It was a con! Well, except for the part where Setsuko needed this in her life – a reason to make contact with other humans, a reason to wake up in the morning. Oh Lucy! is replete with suicide attempts and the black humor that surrounds them. From a certain perspective, the film is an insightful riot; from another, it’s a typical day with Eeyore. It reminds me a
great deal of another Japanese film about loneliness, disillusion, and the mistake of visiting America: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter. Based on these two films, Japanese ideas about the United States seem equally as wrong as American ideas about Japan.
Oh Lucy! begs the question: how do you deal with loneliness in a society that doesn’t seem to care? And here’s where the Japanese can learn a thing or two from Americans – have you tried having an insane obsession with guns? If there’s one thing Americans truly excel at these days it’s suicide success rate. [Hint: It’s all about the access to firearms.] Forgive me if this film got me in a morbid mood; Oh Lucy! is the kind of film that makes you laugh aloud until you realize exactly how lonely the people are. This picture is a combination of sadness and delightful that Hollywood films rarely attack. It’s not for everyone, but I’m a fan.
♪She’d be better off gone
Knowing how boss made her feel
She’s a corporate pawn
After all, how could she deal?
Oh, she must have been dreaming (must’ve been dreaming, oh)
When she thought about office bliss (office bliss)
Does vacation rollover? (over, right now)
Oh Lucy, finance
‘ployee, exempt
Oh Lucy, Clerk II
Make an attempt♫
Not Rated, 95 Minutes
Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi
Writer: Boris Frumin, Atsuko Hirayanagi
Genre: Finding your life
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People who understand loneliness
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: The blithe and mirthful
♪ Parody Inspired by “Oh Sherrie”
