The movies share similar themes and both feature an unhealthy relationship between the main characters.
Both are dark, gritty portrayal of two messed up individuals in a mafia-esque setting which touches on sex work and the plight of the poor and the downtrodden. Both follows two people as they try to hold onto each other despite their circumstances trying to tear them apart.
While Double Mints is more about obsession and is a lot darker than Happy of the End, the latter is more subtle and understanding in treating its characters. Happy of the End, though portrays all the hardships and bleakness of the characters' lives, still focuses on hope, will to survive, and well, more positive stuff. Double Mints on the other hand is downright dark, tragic, and portrays violence and sexual abuse on a very disturbing scale. They are similar in certain themes, but also very different in the overall vibe.
While Double Mints is more about obsession and is a lot darker than Happy of the End, the latter is more subtle and understanding in treating its characters. Happy of the End, though portrays all the hardships and bleakness of the characters' lives, still focuses on hope, will to survive, and well, more positive stuff. Double Mints on the other hand is downright dark, tragic, and portrays violence and sexual abuse on a very disturbing scale. They are similar in certain themes, but also very different in the overall vibe.
Japanese Latin dance champion Suzuki Shinya and Japanese standard dance champion Sugiki Shinya are both famous dancers. Although they are in different fields, their names differ by only one letter. Suzuki, who hates to lose, is irritated by being compared to the other dancer. One day, Sugiki suddenly invites Suzuki to "aim to be champion together in 10 Dances." 10 Dances is a competitive dance where dancers who have mastered both Latin and standard dance compete in a total of 10 dances. Suzuki initially refuses Sugiki's proposal to teach each other and aim for the top because it seems too reckless. However, he is overwhelmed by Sugiki's provocative and competitive attitude and accepts in anger. The two are polar opposites in terms of personality and everything and they clash, but as they take lessons every day, they work hard together and gradually close the gap. Then, Suzuki gradually realizes that he is starting to be attracted to Sugiki.
When Kosuke was 14 years old, his mother died. As a young gay person, he spent his adolescence in a rural village and suppressed his feelings. Now, Kosuke is all grown up and he works as a fashion magazine editor in Tokyo. He meets Ryuta, who works as a personal trainer. Ryuta's mother raised him alone and he is close to his mother. Kosuke and Ryuta become attracted to each other and they sometimes spend time with Ryuta's mother. Kosuke is happy to share time with Ryuta and his mother, which makes him remember his late mother. Kosuke and Ryuta make an appointment to go for a drive together, but, on that day, Ryuta does not show up.
I kept thinking about Double Mints when I was watching this. The same brilliantly executed desperation and melodrama that's the beauty of both films while being intense and jarringly violent. The relationship Shinji (Suda Masaki) has with Barikan (Yang Ik Jun) or with his ex gangster boss had the same undertones of Fuchikami Yasushi and Tanaka Shunsuke's relationships in Double Mints.
