If you want to read my review of My broken Mariko, read this post. In マイ・ブロークン・マリコ, Tomoyo Shiino is Ikagawa Mariko’s best friend and supported her through years of abuse, abandonment and depression. Their friendship is the only constant thing in their lives. Now, with the news of Mariko’s suicide, Shiino is determined to steal and throw Mariko’s ashes into the sea in a desperate attempt to save her friend’s soul.
Tomoyo Shiino (Mei Nagano) works as a secretary and is a very brave woman. She doesn’t even fear pressure from her boss and has smoked since she was a child. She didn’t know what to do when she saw, on the news, that her only friend had taken her own life.
“Tell me, Mariko. Is there anything I can do for you now?”
Ikagawa Mariko (Nao Honda) was 26 years old when she threw herself off the 5th floor balcony. She had depression because she suffered various types of abuse from her father and was abandoned by her mother.
“Listen, Shii-chan. You know, my mother, she left me again. She said I was bad. She said it was my fault.”
Shii-chan couldn’t fulfill Mariko’s biggest dream, to live together with her. But feeling helpless for not being able to save her best friend’s life, Shii-chan felt determined to fulfill Mariko’s wish to go to Marigaoka Cape (まりがおか岬). So, she steals Mariko’s remains and begins the journey by reading the letters her friend left.
My Broken Mariko: japanese movie review
Shii-chan always tried to protect Mariko, since childhood they were classmates. In the early years, Shii-chan discovered that Mariko was exploited and violated by her father and this abusive relationship made her mother leave.
“Even if I have to stab you, I’ll take Mariko’s remains with me.”
Mariko tried her best to be a good girl. But, of course, mother abandonment and father abuse would result in mental instability.
She loved writing letters to Shii-chan even though she was on her side. Because, she didn’t have the courage to say everything she felt for her friend. Just like Shii-chan didn’t either.
“To be honest, you were all I had.”
As much as Shii-chan said that Mariko should feel more precious, it seems like it had no effect. Mariko was sure it was all her fault, that she didn’t deserve to be happy.
“No, Mariko. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
An encouragement, if it is possible to say that it existed, is that despite the traumas, Mariko dated a lot and, fortunately, none of the boyfriends was violent with her. But, Mariko was only able to truly appreciate the friendship she had with Shii-chan.
My Broken Mariko movie review: my thoughts on loving someone with depression
Some of My Broken Mariko quotes touched me. Sadly, the person I love has suffered from depression for years. And I relate a lot with the scene above. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been with her, in a similar position, under similar circumstances.
Over the years, I’ve found that it doesn’t matter how much I’ve been worried about her. She was in a place where that kind of worry wasn’t going to help her.
There were times when I didn’t know what to do. Because, it seems that the person is disconnected from reality and is much more tolerant of the source of the problem than I could understand.
Why you should watch My Broken Mariko
I won’t leave My Broken Mariko ending explained or a download link here, but If you’re in Shii-chan’s position, loving someone who suffers from depression, perhaps you’ll find comfort to the feeling of helplessness in not being able to do more for the person on the verge of pain.
If you’re in Mariko’s position, maybe the movie will help you realize that you didn’t do anything bad to anyone, that it’s not your fault you were born, that the people around you are projecting their weaknesses onto you and that, however make it easier to think backwards, you do deserve to be happy.
My Broken Mariko movie trailer
I really feel that you will like this one. So I decided to do this Mai burôkun Mariko review. Go ahead, immerse yourself in the story, the environment and the soundtrack.
And come back later to tell me what you think in the comments. This was one of the most cathartic Japanese movies I’ve watched.
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