Things I Watched: Her Love Boils Bathwater - Tough Love In Difficult Circumstances

Her Love Boils Bathwater is a sentimental film meaning it's the type of film I usually try to avoid. In fact there was a point twenty minutes into the film where I felt it might be too much. I considered turning it off but persistence stuck me, which turned to be a great thing as it's an honest type of sentimentalism; more wholesome than tear-jerking. I liked it a lot.

The story follows a working-class family led by Futaba Sachino, a matriarch who one day receives news that she’s suffering from a terminal illness. She’s given only four months to live but this doesn’t deter her. Throughout the film she reigns supreme approaching every situation with hardheadedness, helping many around her despite her increasing frailties.

Notably this includes her daughter who she makes stand up to class bullies and in doing so provides an invaluable lesson about overcoming anxiety. She also forgives her deadbeat former husband for some reason and proceeds to give direction to run the family bath-house. Her ability to touch people impacts non-family members too, such as a young hitchhiker who later emerges to assist when Futaba is taken ill inside of hospital.

Despite its sombre themes, the film does an excellent job balancing comedy and pathos. Actress Rie Miyazawa provides Futaba with a strong sense of charisma throughout. While the film does oversteps sentimentalism towards the end, it leaves a valuable message about not losing sight of one's responsibilities.

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