An acrylic painting on wood panel, titled 'Midnight Diner', of a pantless woman in the back of a pub kitchen holding a knife. On the pub counter is a box containing cremated ashes with a lit roman candle is sticking out.

Midnight Diner

(2014, Joji Matsuoka)

Lately I’ve had more chances to view some mainstream movies from Asia and this one I actually liked a lot. Although I dislike feel-good movies, the setting here was pretty fun and interesting, plus I love stories about hole-in-the-wall places. There’s a small pub that opens from midnight to 7am and it attracts a variety of characters with emotional baggage to sort through. Simple conversations and reminiscing of the past warmly advance the story. There’s a continuous plot about a mysterious urn but it’s not too important, just gives the characters to focus on something besides themselves.


A screenshot from the film 'Midnight Diner' of the Japanese pub master (played by Kaoru Kobayashi) wearing a navy blue samue. An animated gif of a scene from the movie 'Midnight Diner' of three women sitting at a Japanese pub eating noodles in sync. A screenshot of several patrons sitting at a Japanese pub counter sharing a lively conversation. From the movie 'Midnight Diner'.

© 2014 - Shogakukan