Yoshino's Barber Shop (Japanese: バーバー吉野, Hepburn: Barber Yoshino) is a 2004 Japanese coming-of-age film written and directed by Naoko Ogigami in her feature directorial debut. It stars Masako Motai as the titular Yoshino, a barber who ensures that every young boy in her village has a bowl-shaped haircut. When a boy with dyed hair (Hoshi Isida) arrives from Tokyo and refuses to conform to the town's bowl cut, he sparks a rebellion against Yoshino and village tradition.[1][2][3]

Yoshino's Barber Shop
Promotional release poster
Directed byNaoko Ogigami
Written byNaoko Ogigami
Starring
Release date
  • April 10, 2004 (2004-04-10)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Cast

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Reception

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Variety's Russell Edwards wrote that the film "schematically uses the village as a microcosm for Japan, and it's not without amusing moments", but noted that "The amount of four-letter words smattered throughout the dialogue — and the pivotal role pornography plays in the storyline — will have conservative Western [audiences] looking askance at this kidpic oddity."[1] Tom Horgen of the Minnesota Daily wrote that "The film's gorgeous visuals and comedic tone give it a whimsical, almost fluffy feeling. But don't be fooled. Its depiction of the proverbial tug-of-war between tradition and new ideas is quite involving."[2] In a review of the film for Midnight Eye, Jasper Sharp concluded: "A great piece of independent filmmaking that actually has something to say, Yoshino's Barber Shop is the kind of low-key offering that, unfortunately, far too seldom makes it past the film festival circuit".[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Edwards, Russell (22 February 2004). "Yoshino's Barber Shop". Variety. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b Horgen, Tom (1 April 2004). "Yoshino's Barber Shop". Minnesota Daily. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Sharp, Jasper (28 June 2004). "Yoshino's Barber Shop". Midnight Eye. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
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