The movie centers on thirty-something Tetsuo, an indie filmmaker with a minor hit many years back, who still lives with his mother and sister, borrowing money off them. One day, Tetsuo comes across a promising actress and a guy with an interesting screenplay.
Mamoru's excruciating devotion to his friend is embodied perfectly in Hosoda's nuanced performance, where Tetsuo's confession of his love for cinema humanises his otherwise appalling behaviour.
