Kita Kita is a 2017 Filipino romantic comedy that manages to tell the beautiful love story between Lea, a Filipino-Japanese tour guide, and Tonyo, her friendly neighbor. Both leads are navigating their way through the charming city of Sapporo, Japan in the midst of heartbreak. The film is notable for its unique premise and portrayal of a heartwarming romance between two complex yet realistic characters that the audience can’t help but grow attached. This film is sure to emphasize the message of unconditional yet unexpected love, and the lessons it has to share. The movie can appeal to audiences within the age range of thirteen and above because the concept of the film is not too difficult for younger viewers to grasp, and the content can be relatable to much older audiences.
I will be evaluating the movie according to the following criteria: characterization, plot, and cinematography. Romantic comedies tend to have similar characteristics that place them in this specific genre. They usually follow the guidelines of having two loveable characters, a cliche plot with a happy ending, and a soundtrack that’s able to capture all of these elements. Many romantic comedies are filmed in a very professional setting, almost unrealistic which this film challenges as it is recorded to make the audience feel as though they’re watching a home recording or witnessing everything first-hand. The movie does a great job of highlighting every scene and making sure to include specific details such as backgrounds that can help the viewer piece the film together and make connections as they watch. The movie moves at a steady pace and makes sure to give enough time to the main characters in order to ensure that the audience is seeing the gradual progression of their romance. Kita Kita is a film that highlights the importance of love between two people despite their disabilities which establishes meaning to the plot; however, some may say that the blind trope is cliche since there are other productions like the Japanese film, Your Eyes Tell, that focus on a blind lead. Although this is a valid opinion to consider when watching the film, I believe that Kita Kita was well thought out in terms of managing to include yet challenging important elements of a romantic comedy and allow the audience to enjoy every aspect of the film from its storyline to its production.
Chronologically, the film is set up to where the audience is first introduced to Lea’s character and her background. For example, there may be scenes in the film that showcase Lea in the peaceful forests of Sapporo reciting fun facts about all the varying monuments that may lie within to Japanese tourists. Viewers are able to see that she’s very passionate about her job and is very well informed. Lea’s character is seen to be warm, bubbly, and very compassionate to strangers. The audience is provided a glimpse of what she was like prior to her first relationship with her Japanese fiance. Their love story quickly ends with him cheating on her, leading her to feel the intense emotions of anxiety and stress. Although the love story is short-lived, the film manages to capture the beauty in the growing love story. The film has more than one conflict with one of them being Lea’s temporary blindness, caused by her first heartbreak. After being diagnosed with blindness, Lea loses her warmth and kindness and becomes more cold and distant. The scenes are no longer about the tranquil streets of Sapporo and they begin to focus solely on Lea’s outside porch where she spends most of her days. Viewers can assume that she no longer works as an active tourist guide. The film then introduces Tonyo’s character and background. He’s portrayed as a common working man who also experienced heartbreak for the first time. He deals with heartbreak through unhealthy methods like alcoholism and struggles to find stability in his life. Through coincidence, he meets Lea and is instantly attracted to her due to her kindness. Both characters undergo developments throughout the film because of their positive interactions with each other. Tonyo is able to start anew in Japan and quit his alcoholic habits while Lea is able to admire the wonders life has to offer with Tonyo by her side. The two help each other to overcome their initial adversities and their relationship only strengthens from there.
Taken from Kita Kita Movie Trailer (1:47)
The movie stands out as a whole because it helps bring a fresh perspective to romantic comedies. Both characters challenge the stereotypes that are usually in place for romantic-comedy leads. In particular, Lea lacks the ability to see which is a unique adversity that not many female characters in other films can easily relate to, and on top of that, she faces the problem of dealing with a cheating fiance. Tonyo, he’s an average man who isn’t structured to be a tall, muscular character with extravagant goals or careers like other male leads in romcoms. Tonyo is around 5’5 with a mustache and is often seen wearing a collared sweatshirt, formal trousers, and a gelled-back hairstyle. The movie is set up in which each character is living their life individually; however, towards the end, viewers are able to see that the characters’ lives have been intertwined since the beginning. The twist is that it is not discovered until another unexpected conflict has occurred between the two characters. I found that this added a unique and unpredictable touch to the film since many leads in romantic films end up meeting each other for the first time as the film progresses, and conflicts usually occur within the middle of a movie. This leaves the viewers wanting to go back to catch any details that may have foreshadowed the surprising discovery.
Fig. 2 – Tonyo spraying cologne
Taken from Kita Kita Movie Trailer (0:43)
Not only does the content of the film make it remarkable to watch but its aesthetic cinematography as well. The film made sure to capture the beauty of the town of Sapporo with the use of soft pastels that leaves the assumption that the town is associated with tranquility and happiness. The soft colors are appealing as it doesn’t strain the audience’s eyes and allows them to appreciate the surroundings of every scene shot. The director of photography, Boy Yniguez, made sure to use a wide variety of angle shots to not only capture the beauty of the backgrounds but as well as the different eras each character faces. In times of conflict, the scenes become more busy and bright by showcasing neon street lights and bustling streets. This creates a sense of overstimulation. There are scenes that end up getting blurred to represent the unpredictableness that may be happening at the moment. These varying methods evoke different types of emotions that the characters or audience may be feeling. The melodic music that plays in the background matches the mellow atmosphere of the film and is soothing to the ear. There are key changes that signify important events that are occurring. For example, the song may drop to a minor key to emphasize tragedy or conflict. The film has a theme song called, “Two Less Lonely People” performed by KZ Tandingan. The song does an excellent job of expressing the message of how two broken people can manage to find healing through one another. The instrumental version is used throughout the film, but the song is played in a scene of reflection and then again during the end credits to tie the entire production together.
Fig. 3 – Zerubu No Oka Atom Nooka
Taken from www.tripzilla.ph.com
Kita Kita managed to snag a spot on multiple Netflix platforms across the globe. It is loved by different types of audiences, but there have been some critics that may not welcome it with open arms. Some may say that the ending is frustrating because it can leave certain audiences unsatisfied due to having a predetermined expectation of a happy ending. Even though I’ve grown to appreciate the unpredictability of the plot, critics might say that having a blind character is a common trope that argues against the claim that the movie highlights unique adversity. Some critics online have brought up a point that the film “romanticized stalking” since Tonyo’s attraction fueled him to follow Lea and be involved in her life. In a realistic world, his approach can be seen as creepy and one can even go as far as to say that it is dangerous. Although it is a valid point, I’d like to add that the story’s main focus was to highlight the value of pure human love — one that isn’t affected by skin-deep factors. Oggs Cruz, a reviewer from Rappler, states, “Sometimes it takes just one piece of novelty to make a rom-com work more wonders than the mostly hollow pleasures that are related to the genre.” Apart from Kita Kita’s heartwarming plot, its characters are endearing to the audience as they are able to challenge the usual prefabricated romance and unrealistic beauty standards held in romantic comedies. Despite his looks, the male leads hold charisma and compassion— this allows the viewers to easily forgive Tonyo for his actions. I think it’s necessary for the film to set it up this way to be able to show the progression of their romance and call attention to the concept of loving one despite having flaws or adversities. Without this, the film would fail to deliver the message it initially intended for viewers to understand.
Overall, the foreign film can adhere to all types of audiences who are able to appreciate the idea that love has no bounds. It helps to redefine the expectations we may originally have when looking for friendships or relationships. It does a spectacular job of emotionally captivating and motivating those watching it with its intricate plot and breathtakingly beautiful cinematography. Viewers can’t help but fall in love with how the characters fall in love with each other and the characters themselves. The love between Lea and Tonyo is raw and authentic. Though they may be mortal, their love for each other is not. Kita Kita represents a timeless love and will cause viewers to swoon, cry, and reflect even after time has passed since they’ve seen the film.
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