The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese

I would have given this a higher rating, but the end spoiled it. I enjoyed watching this, it kept my interest. I thought the acting and story were good. This movie had a lot of sex scenes, so if your not comfortable with that, don’t watch it. I think the two ML’s were excellent and very believable in their roles. They were two lost souls, but throughout the movie kind of discovered themselves. I don’t think I would watch it again though. I’ve watched You Make Me Dance, Long Time No See, and To My Star several times each, but I won’t be doing that with this one, for the reason stated in my first sentence. If you like BL’S on the serious side, it’s a nice short watch.

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oh boi i wasn't ready at all for this one
my biggest mistake was not reading the tags nor the synopsis so i wasn't aware of the infidelity. besides my carelessness, i actually found this movie to be emotion-inducing and one of the main feeling here is frustration. everyone frustrated me. i'm not kidding.

this one tells a tale of two completely questionable dudes in terms of moral compass. what i like is that this movie doesn't sugarcoat anything. we are presented what the mixture of insecurity and loneliness can do to someone. such combination can lead to desperation of returning to a situation that is not going to benefit them mentally. there is no romanticising this relationship. instead, the viewers are given both point of views with no justification of the main characters' actions.

both the main characters are awful in many ways. yet, sympathy is felt because they both have different sides and internal issues. i'm no way in support of the cheating but it's really interesting how otome is shown to have the tables turned as he was the one to wait for igisame instead of the other way around. the chair was a nice touch of symbolism for anticipation/waiting.

overall, this movie was definitely a profound take on mature topics and didn't go around in circles conveying them.

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this is a good movie if ur into watching humans be human

aish from where to start, first off haven't read the manga and after watching this, very intrigued to find out how it differs from the movie and if the ending (if it has ended in "written" form) is much more satisfying then this open ending.
secondly, read comments saying - agreeing with Otomo when he called himself self-centered - and i Don't agree - yeah there a bucket load of messed-up, complicated character's here, but he just another one on a long list. he for sure aint at the top of that list.

this whole drama is about people not being perfect in any way, shape or form... trying to succeed at love and life and basically buggering it all up - to put in mildly. if anything watching this if there is anyone that i rooted for by the end, it's Otomo - yeah he was guarded and stoic, the typical tsundere (without any background info about why he is the way he is - i can't say what is the cause for his turning out the way he did) but he for sure aint heterosexual, he either bisexual, pansexual or a deeply closeted homosexual... cause the way he noticed Imagase in their collage/university days, wasn't platonic in the least - and he was always aware of him..

Imagase "proposal" starts to break down his walls from the first encounter. and i think its more about being with a man then being with Imagase - which of course changes when Imagase keeps at it - or maybe i'm wrong, as no one would go back to the woman they r cheating with, when they know their wife has a detective tailing them - that was kind of an open invite, for the 2nd encounter to happen -
the rest is kind of a emotional roller costar, where Imagase who seems to know what he wants, can't deal with getting his wish - and keeps pushing Otomo away with words and actions... therefore the sad open ending

but this is one hell of an emotional ride where u see Otomo grow, mature into his own. and that in itself made this worthwhile - i enjoyed this even if i would've loved a happy end - but "they" kept it real and i can appreciate the reason, as in life no happy ending guarantied.

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BORING

I dont care about infidelity or screwed up storylines but this was SO boring to watch. They arent bad actors but theyre stiff because theyre supposed to be. The worst thing was how abrupt the cuts were. I do not know if it was a stylistic choice taken on purpose but its so aprupt that its hard to enjoy. They omit entire happenings of context and summarize that in maybe one line of dialogue told to some character. Like youre supposed to pick it on contrxtually. But it sucked a bit

The sexual scenes were very out there. That was good lol but everything else is an absolute meh.

Iw ill say, not a completely unrealistic story though. But doesnt make it less boring.

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Bland with a nice wrap-up

Well, I am just hitting it off with all worst Japanese cinematic choices. To be honest, this one probably was not as bad as all the other ones I watched... but the trope is still as clear as water: we have an obsessed second lead and untouchable first lead. Reasons for both do not become clearer as the movie progresses.

Why was Imagase so obsessed with Kyoichi? Well, he said -for no reason. Why was Kyoichi impacted by Imagase? Well we don't know that either. Is it pity is it love is it transformation.

Then we have intense and steamy scenes, imo, do not serve the plot efficiently. Too empty to mean anything. Then the ending was somewhat hopeful and shows change in characters but it leaves you wanting more. Because why would he change so drastically? It makes no sense in the context of plot.

I am surprised my output was so high but I can say that I was entertained and enjoyed the watch.

You will not miss much if you skip it. Will not be impressed if you watch it. But it is likely to be a decent watch if you opt for it.

Thank you for reading.

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Beautiful Movie

Honestly I really loved this movie it brings out a lot of real life concerns and insecurities. I love how in this movie "Kyoichi" is truly trying to figure himself ouut and it shows that he feels the pain when he hurts Imagase and doesnt want to feel that way doesnt want to hurt him. I also love how for Imagase it shows how he loved Kyoichi in the past and has for a very long time. I love how that shows there is a deeper connection through his love then what was presented before knowing his background story. The Sex scenes between Kyoichi and Imagase were hot but very sensual and beautiful at the same time. They showed a lot of love and despair between the two. The background music was very calming and sensual I loved how it made the scenes more realistic and more relaxing. The acting for both characters was phenominal it was very beautiful and they got the job done. I would love to see the actors film another movie together. For rewatching this movie I would highly recomend rewatching this movie it helps you understand the real purpose of the movie it also helps you realise parts of the movie or those subtle meanings in the movie watching it the second time. I have overall watched this movie 5-6 times and every time I watch it I learn something new.

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I enjoyed it despite the heartbreak

"There's a billion things in life more important than suffering for love" and I couldn't have agreed more with Otomo .It seems masochism is a recurring theme throughout many Japanese BL's and this film is no exception. It's time for the gays to break free from the shackles of pain and embrace love in the right places lol. Overall the acting was great and the story was solid. The only small issue I had was with the length. There are portions of this that seemed to drag and could've been condensed, despite that and all the pain and heartbreak I still really enjoyed this film.

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Very interesting and well-made, but not perfect

I just finished watching the movie and I have a few thoughts about it. What is most interesting to me about this movie is the main character Kyoichi. He is VERY unpredictable and it is a puzzle to piece together what he is thinking. There were multiple times in the movie that i was thinking to myself "What in the world does he want?".

Small SPOILER as examples: Kyoichi said he could never choose Wataru as he is a man, then later that same night he had sxx with him. Later on, Kyoichi got together with a girl, but went to a gay bar. Another time was when Kyoichi told Wataru he did not need him anymore, then had sxx with him again... such a rollercoaster of a movie.

The other main character Wataru is interesting, seemingly laid-back yet extremely obsessive. But his thoughts and feelings are more simple than Kyoichi. I highly enjoyed the acting of all actors, all of the characters, including the women, were believable and real.

The story itself is interesting, but very vague and many things are implied, not stated. This can be seen as simply an artistic choice, and the movie is very interesting because of it, but the story is lacking. It can be summed up as: confused bisexual likes to sleep around until he rediscovers his high school friend with whom he has rather poor communication with. The movie is just filled with toxic behavior and relationships, something that happens in reality but not enjoyable to see in a movie.

I am somewhat stumped with this movie because I do not idolize it. The relationships in this movie are very toxic, so rewatching it would feel disrespectful to my own happiness. While we all know some relationships in movies and dramas are idolized and fiction, these are not realistic necessarily; just toxic.

Small sidenote, the movie did not have any music that I remembered, it fit the movie a lot but I do enjoy music in films. Since it fit the movie I gave it a high score. Overall, I'm unsure if I am glad that I watched it. It's definitely interesting, but if you have other more highly rated things to watch first, watch this later.

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a brutally honest portrait of love, change, and emotional accountability

this isn’t the kind of BL film that wraps itself in idealized tropes or gives comfort in romance. it’s an uncomfortable, messy, and deeply human story—and for that reason, it's one of the most powerful i’ve seen.

at its core is kyouichi, a man who lives a pitiful and hollow life. a womanizer and emotionally vacant, he gets married not out of love, but out of a vague sense of obligation—because it’s what society expects of him. he’s never really stopped to think about what he wants, who he is, or how his behavior affects others. he moves through life selfishly, detached, never truly caring about those who try to get close to him.

then there’s imagase, who represents everything that challenges kyouichi’s emotional stagnation. his love is obsessive, manipulative—even predatory at times—but it’s also raw, honest, and unwavering. his searing line, “you have a weakness for people who love you, but you don’t trust that love in the end, and sniff around the feelings of those who approach you,” cuts deep, not just into kyouichi’s character but into the emotional detachment that defines many modern relationships.

and yet, what makes this film resonate is not the toxicity—it’s the potential for growth. kyouichi isn’t a likable man, but he is human. and for all his flaws, he proves capable of change. he begins to accept who he is, stops running from himself, and starts taking emotional responsibility—not just for his own life, but for the people he’s hurt. that willingness to grow doesn’t come easily or quickly. it comes from being challenged by someone who, despite everything, truly loved him.

this is beautifully encapsulated in the final scene. kyouichi sits alone at the barstool—on the same stool where Imagase always waited for him. the ashtray is no longer thrown away but placed gently on the table, washed and cleaned. the curtains are white and sheer, replacing the tacky blue ones. small, quiet details, but they say everything. he’s not waiting for someone to fix him anymore. he’s doing what he can, on his own. as he puts it, “i want to wait. by myself. i want to do what i can.”

in the end, imagase's love—unconventional, obsessive, but undeniably pure—becomes the catalyst for kyouichi’s growth. and in that sense, the film suggests that to truly love someone is for them to become your only exception.

it’s not romantic. it’s not easy. but it’s real—and that’s what makes this story unforgettable.

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Stirring, Sad, Emotional

This movie is very well done - adapted from a manga.

The characters really made me feel emotional, although most of that emotion is kind of sad. The ending leaves it up to the one watching to decide what happens at the end. The one thing I didn't like bout the movie was the darkness in most of the scenes. I understand that was part of the setting to make the scenes more emotional, but I think the movie could have been made in better lighting.

I feel like both characters had issues, but they took an emotional and physical journey together. One character had a lot of difficulty in all of his relationships, because he didn't know what love really was, but in the end, he finds himself.

This movie is raw, stirring, sad, emotional and yet somehow not sad at the same time.
Both actors did a fantastic job portraying their characters.

The sex scenes between the two characters are explicit. This movie may not be everyone's cup of tea.

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