Linda Linda Linda

The story for the film is quite simple. High school students Kyoko, Kei, Nozomi, Moe and Rinko are planning to have their band perform at the school festival, but about three days before the big day, drama hits. Moe injures her finger, Kei and Rinko get into a fight, and the remaining members are stuck without a singer. They find one in loner Korean exchange student, Son, though her Japanese is rather poor and she tends to misunderstand. With no time left to write some original material, they decide to do covers instead when they find an old tape featuring 80s rock band, The Blue Hearts, in their clubroom. If they want to go out with one last hurrah before graduation, they'll need to push themselves to the limit, but can they be ready in such a short time?

I would have to say that if you're curious about Japanese high schools and the culture within, this is a good place to look. The feeling of youthful energy and determination is everywhere, and anybody nostalgic for their younger days will find something to recognize despite differences. You can't help but admire how hard the girls worked to get ready, practicing until they passed out in the clubroom, just to wake up and start over. One of the girls even got her already graduated, ex-boyfriend to loan them his studio. Though the story starts out slow, it does get a bit more complex later on.

The title of the movie, Linda Linda Linda, comes from the song "Linda Linda" by The Blue Hearts. Even though Western audiences won't be familiar with it, it's still pretty catchy and that won't really matter anyway. If I had to pick a character that fills the comedy relief role, Son would definitely be it - the way she interacts with people, her shyness, and her energy, definitely makes her funny and lovable (there's a scene in the gym that's just awesome). She was an excellent actress, no doubt. And no matter how you feel about the others, you'll want them all to do well. It's just that kind of movie. Don't expect anything dramatic, don't expect Hollywood hurtles like a band that wants to outplay them, or disapproving parents. Just sit back and take it for what it is. You might even find the "Linda Linda" song stuck in your head - it sure happened to me!

This film has been released in the USA by Viz is and is available here!