Sakamichi no Ie (2014)

The bedding shop that Terashima Yoshitaro (Emoto Akira) runs counters the flashy bargain sale of a large store with quality service. It steadily boosts sales. This is all thanks to Terashima whose only purpose in life is stashing money away. Even his wife, Mitsu (Watanabe Eri), is disgrunted with his stinginess, but carries out her duties as an obedient wife. One day, an attractive young female customer called Sugita Rieko (Ono Machiko) comes to Terashima’s shop. It is love at first sight for him. He ends up handing her the bed sheets that she wants with the words, “Pay next time.” As a result of his visit to Rieko’s apartment, their relationship deepens rapidly. Rieko goes to the salon where she works. On the way back, the two of them drink and have sex. However, as Rieko puts her body in Terashima’s hands, she is reminded of her late mother, Takako (Fueki Yuko). Her mother had been in the arms of a string of men in the small port town that was Rieko’s hometown. Although the young Rieko loathed her mother for being that way, she has been involved with men like her mother and obtained money after coming to Tokyo. This time, it is Terashima who is before her …One year later, Terashima only has aptitude for work and is a completely changed man. He neglected his business while the money he had saved has vanished in support of Rieko. Mitsu complains to him, but he holds his passbook, which no longer has any money, in his hand and declares, “What I do is my business!” At that moment, Rieko’s attention is captured by a newspaper article. It is about her first love, Kawazoe Naoki (Ozawa Yukiyoshi), who has become a university’s associate professor. Her love with Naoki had vanished like a bubble due to her mother. However, the sight of his face brings an unusual peace of mind to Rieko who has lived alone ever since she came to Tokyo. Despite the “dark past” between Rieko and Naoki that cannot be erased, Rieko has deliberately disassociated. Wanting to see Naoki, she shows up in front of him. This sudden reunion renders him momentarily speechless. Rieko regains her love for Naoki. However, Terashima is sensitive to the subtle emotional change. A hell that none of the three had imagined is about to descend upon them.