Is 68-Year-Old New Employee Worth Watching? Honest Movie Review & Audience Verdict (2018)
Hitsujido Honpo, an established Japanese-style sweets company known for its traditional flavours and reliability, has maintained a modest popularity. To win a new segment of customers, it has embarked on new business development. The leader of this team of five young employees is 28-year old Kudo Mayuko (Takahata Mitsuki). Mayuko was headhunted by the current CEO Okazaki Kengo (Maruyama Tomomi), for her achievements in her previous job. However, she struggles with the difficulty of new business development and pressures within the company. One day, a “new” 68-year-old employee Niimoto Kazuo (Kusakari Masao) is assigned to be Mayuko’s subordinate all of a sudden. She is dumbfounded to learn that he is 40 years her senior and even feels anger. Mayuko is confronted with the question of whether he should do the old job he was proud of? Or a new job as a brand new employee, and assumes the role of mentor.
✨ The Quick Verdict
If you are a fan of Drama cinema, then 68-Year-Old New Employee offers a standard experience that justifies its existence in the 2018 landscape.
👥 Target Audience
📔 Detailed Analysis
The Narrative Arc & Core Premise
Debuting in 2018, 68-Year-Old New Employee represents a sophisticated intersection of artistic ambition and genre-defining elements within the Drama category. The primary thematic concern of the film is an investigation into Hitsujido Honpo, an established Japanese-style sweets company known for its traditional flavours and reliability, has maintained a modest popularity. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a world where the traditional boundaries of Drama are tested.
The screenplay takes its time to establish the stakes, ensuring that every character motivation is grounded in a psychological reality. The synopsis only hints at the depth: "Hitsujido Honpo, an established Japanese-style sweets company known for its traditional flavours and reliability, has maintained a modest popularity. To win a new segment of customers, it has embarked on new business development. The leader of this team of five young employees is 28-year old Kudo Mayuko (Takahata Mitsuki). Mayuko was headhunted by the current CEO Okazaki Kengo (Maruyama Tomomi), for her achievements in her previous job. However, she struggles with the difficulty of new business development and pressures within the company. One day, a “new” 68-year-old employee Niimoto Kazuo (Kusakari Masao) is assigned to be Mayuko’s subordinate all of a sudden. She is dumbfounded to learn that he is 40 years her senior and even feels anger. Mayuko is confronted with the question of whether he should do the old job he was proud of? Or a new job as a brand new employee, and assumes the role of mentor."
Artistic Execution & Performance Study
A film's resonance is often dictated by the strength of its execution, both in front of and behind the camera. The presence of Mitsuki Takahata provides a necessary level of professionalism to the production, even when the underlying script struggles to maintain a consistent tone. It is a testament to their skill that they remain the most engaging element of the film.
The direction by Keita Kono is marked by a steady and professional hand. From a production standpoint, the film meets the high standards of modern industrial filmmaking. The sets are well-crafted, and the visual effects are integrated with a level of polish that ensures the viewer matches the director's intended level of immersion. While perhaps not groundbreaking, the execution is flawless. The pacing, over its N/A minute runtime, allows the audience to fully inhabit the space the director has created, making the eventual resolution feel deeply earned.
Critical Assessment: Why You Should Watch
Is 68-Year-Old New Employee truly worth your investment of time and attention? In an era of disposable content, this film makes a strong case for its existence. If you are a connoisseur of Drama, then this is a worthwhile watch if you have a specific interest in the themes or the performers involved.
The film's ability to perfectly execute its genre requirements is why it has earned its 2/10 score. It speaks to a global audience while maintaining a distinct and unique voice, a balance that is notoriously difficult to achieve in the modern marketplace.
Philosophical Subtext & Directorial Vision
At a deeper level, 68-Year-Old New Employee explores the dichotomy of truth and perception. The 2018 audience is increasingly sophisticated, and Keita Kono respects this by refusing to provide easy answers to the story's complex questions.
The philosophical underpinnings of the second and third acts suggest a narrative that is interested in more than just entertainment. It is an exploration of what it means to be human in an increasingly complex world.
Final Editorial Recommendation
Ultimately, 68-Year-Old New Employee is an interesting experiment that, while flawed, offers enough moments of creative spark to be worth a casual glance for the curious. Whether you are drawn to it by the star power of Mitsuki Takahata or the critical acclaim surrounding its release, 68-Year-Old New Employee is a film that demands to be seen on the largest screen possible.