MOVIE REVIEW - Flying Colors (2015)

Rating: 9.5
Article is free spoiler certified

Beside any superhero like DC or Marvel, people nowadays became a hero, almost through many simple thing. From helping the elders across the street, scored a goal in tight football match, even getting high score in mathematic quiz, they simply became a hero.

So on, when we talk about “Flying Colors”, drama-comedy directed by Nobuhiro Doi, term that described as “person who exhibits great bravery” came from delinquent senior high school girl named Sayaka Kudo (Kasumi Arimura).

With blonde highlight hair and short skirt, Kudo – labeled as gyaru – is a freewill person who goes around playing and skipping with her classmates, making her brain academically equal with elementary school student.

Of course her mother is not happy. She decides to send Kudo to Seiho Cram School, getting her prepared for university entrance examination. Yoshitaka Tsubota (Atsushi Ito) as a cram school director, know about Kudo’s academic problem, decide to take her to conquer Keio University, one of the most prestigious university in Japan.

At first, Kudo doesn’t feel believed for her trying to conquer Keio University. She laughed at them, but with Tsubota assistance and determination, and above all, feeling of embarrasment that the society are looking down on her, especially her teacher at school, make Kudo believed and determined to study.

Like any other of Japanese films, “Flying Colors” has a sublime message, below the main story. This film, that based on biographic novel wrote by Yoshitaka Tsubota himself, was mainly talked about Kudo’s struggle to study and get a passing score to Keio University. Not only that, Tsubota cunning advice and his strategy also entertaining as well.

But like I said before, Flying Colors bring more story deeper than that. When we looked at Kudo, we’ll know the reason of her delinquent attitude and that make this film complete.

With a coherent and simple storyline, Doi tells the audience about Kudo’s struggle, step by step as she walk on her path, sacrificed her precious time with friends to study, trying to prove that she is not delinquent, for the sake of herself, not anyone.

And that’s why she became a hero. (MFA)