A beautiful, languorous reflection on life, spirituality, young love and growing up, Naomi Kawase's film tackles a potentially grim subject matter with a fine touch that will melt your heart. For me it was the understated performance of Jun Murakami, as the doting husband who keeps on smiling until the bitter end, that got me welling up. Handled with a finesse that truly breathes, the film never gets lost in the panoply of moral tales that seep out from the numerous narratives and relationships. Wonderful.