Honne And Tatemae: Movie Analysis

The two movies are very interesting in the various ways that they handle the same overarching story and plot. While on the surface the movies seem to be extremely similar to each other, if you examine them closely you can see how the different cultures affect the movies and are reflected therein. The various methodologies and specifics used to represent their progress in learning to dance reflect the Do spirit of japan. The way that the two movies handle the side characters is a reflection of Chinmoku as well as Uchi to Soto. Finally, the scene where the husband rips the dress of his dancing partner during the competition and then reconciles with his family shows the Japanese concept of Honne and Tatemae as well as elements of Amae.
One of …show more content…
While the vast majority of the characters were depicted in much the same way and served the same purposes it seemed that the two characters the main character starts his group lessons with were more included in the story in the American version. Not to say that they were entirely excluded from the main plot in the other but they did seem to have more lines and screen time in the American version. As the larger sweatier one was given more reason for dancing aside from it just being good exercise, as he wanted to practice before proposing to his girlfriend. I assume there are likely various reasons for this difference although it seems like it is a reflection of the Japanese concept of Chinmoku, or the idea that silence itself can be an effective communicative skill. While I do agree with this sentiment very often in American culture silences are viewed as uncomfortable and verbal communication is considered the most important form of expressing one’s true feelings or intentions. Even the Japanese Mind books says that “a man of few words is trusted more than a man of many words” which seems very pertinent to this example (52). It could also be a reflection of the concept of Uchi and Soto wherein those two characters were residing more so in the Soto, or outsider, group in the Japanese version. Americans, supposedly, are more inclusive and less likely to draw a specific …show more content…
After the wife and daughter watch the disaster that occurs during the competition they leave and then the original cuts to them talking things over at home while the American version has a long and obnoxious scene in which they fight about it while blocking traffic in the parking garage. Americans are generally more open and overt with their feelings and much more blunt than the Japanese. The concept of Honne and Tatemae comes to mind in examining these two scenes in contrast with each other. Tatemae being the attitude and ways to act and express yourself in public. While Honne is the more private elements that do not need to put on display for everyone to see, like in a parking garage. The American version was thus more in your face about the pain he had caused to his wife and showed a much more confrontational method of handling the situation. In contrast, in the original they are more focused on remaining civil and not letting their inner emotions escape in public. Even when they did talk about what had happened in regards to his dancing in the original there was still seemingly a disconnect between them prior to their daughter stepping in. They were sitting in opposite sides of the room facing away from each other. While, as previously mentioned, the way that exchange was handled in the American version was much more