One Year To Live, Buy A Man

Story: Yui Katakura (Yoshikazu Okada) is 40 years old and has a steady job. Her day is well-structured, and she saves whatever money she has left at the end of the month to be well-prepared for her retirement. When she receives an offer for a free screening in her mailbox, she goes to the doctor, where she is diagnosed with cancer. If left untreated, she likely has only one year left to live. Yui has always intended to spend her remaining time in peace should she receive a cancer diagnosis, and therefore declines treatment and all its inconveniences. While sitting in the waiting room, she is suddenly approached by Yoshitaka Sena (Eiji Akaso), a young man with pink hair and a silver suit. He asks to borrow money from her, as he somehow needs to pay the hospital bills for his sick father. Yui herself isn't exactly sure why, but she agrees. Yoshitaka is equally baffled and hands her an IOU, promising to pay the money back over the next five years. Yui explains to him that she won't be alive by then. When it turns out that Yoshitaka works as an escort, the two agree that he will pay off his debt that way. Thus, the hardworking woman has a companion for various activities over the following days, all while continuing to go to work. Eventually, her supervisor, Masami (Michitaka Tsutsui), finds out who she is seeing; he himself still has an interest in Yui, even though he is married with children. Yui has no desire for this kind of drama in her life, however, and only wants to savor the time she has left.

Review: Once again, I find myself in a dilemma — undecided on whether, and more importantly to whom, I can recommend this romantic drama. On the one hand, there are clearly those viewers longing for romances that avoid the well-trodden paths; on the other hand, there are viewers hoping for a solid drama that properly addresses the hurdles of a relationship involving a large age gap and purchased love. And "One Year to Live, Buy a Man" doesn't truly do justice to either group. Those who consider themselves part of a third group, simply looking to have a good cry over a drama again, will be equally disappointed. Perhaps all this is no coincidence, as streaming services like Netflix (or the film medium in general) are so intent on pleasing everyone nowadays that nobody really feels catered to. It should be noted, then, that this romantic drama is far from bad in and of itself; it just merely scratches the surface of everything it tackles.

The story's main character is definitely fascinating right from the start and is played by Kou Shibasaki ("One Missed Call"). Yui quickly comes to terms with the fact that she is going to die soon, which seems all the more astonishing given that she could undergo treatment and survive with relatively good odds. Yet she decides against it. It's not that she indirectly wants to take her own life; she simply has no desire to potentially spend her final days undergoing chemotherapy and treatment. Since we soon learn that her mother is no longer alive, one naturally starts to draw assumptions. In any case, Yui is an incredibly rational thinker who can easily come across as cold to others, which ultimately stems from the fact that she couldn't care less about what other people think of her. Up to a certain point... Because when the pink-haired Sena shows up at her workplace, she is very much concerned about her reputation. Still, we get a solid picture of the woman fairly quickly and therefore understand that, thinking outside moral norms, she has no problem bringing a man into her life for money.

Yui is human, too, and certainly shows emotions. Above all, she has no intention of spending her final year on earth alone. At the same time, she can help someone in need. For Sena, played by Eiji Akaso ("Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead"), this is a stroke of luck because he needs money. He is a good guy who takes care of his family, specifically his sick father, who is the only one we never actually get to see. Otherwise, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know both of their families. Sena's sister, in particular, doesn't hold back in telling Yui what she thinks of the woman's relationship with a younger man, even without knowing the exact circumstances. Yui, on the other hand, is particularly harsh toward her mother-in-law, which is ironic considering Yui is currently experiencing something in her own life that should make her view her mother-in-law in a different light. Furthermore, she doesn't exchange a single word with her father. The various characters — there is also a female colleague Yui gets along well with — enrich the story, but too little is done with them to add any real depth to the events in the protagonist's life.

As is to be expected, the relationship between the two individuals develops in a way that fosters genuine understanding and appreciation. This is mostly handled in a restrained manner, though emotions do break through every now and then. Sena is simply a kind-hearted person and therefore not someone who thinks, "I'm just doing this for the money." He genuinely enjoys making other people happy in general, and in the case of his new client, there are also special circumstances as to why he doesn't want her to feel bad. Naturally, you approach a film in this genre with certain expectations, wondering whether the two can honestly find happiness together. In this regard, the story attempts a mature approach while simultaneously trying to maintain a positive overall tone. This leads to an ending that feels half-baked. The director wanted to make sure not to alienate anyone, but in return, he will likely earn a slightly dissatisfied grumble from most viewers.

Personally, I found Yui's outlook on life both fascinating and relatable. Equally successful is the portrayal of the male escort service, as clichés were largely avoided here. Sena, in particular, is a lovable yet authentic guy who instantly wins the audience over. "One Year to Live, Buy a Man" has a wonderful foundation for a beautiful drama or a somewhat different romance, specifically thanks to its well-written characters. The middle ground, unfortunately, proves to be a misstep. Even though the two main characters manage to create a special chemistry, it cannot support the chosen ending. It feels forced, even though you get the impression that this was exactly what the director was trying to avoid. Ultimately, this flick is an entertaining romantic drama that turns out to be surprisingly breezy, but for that very reason, it lacks the depth that the screenplay — based on a novel by Toriko Yoshikawa — could have provided. Anyone who can make peace with that won't go too far wrong here. However, those who have a problem with getting neither fish nor fowl here should look elsewhere.

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