Restart wa tadaima no atode explores the themes of family, friendship, the searching of one's goals and answers.

As a reader of the manga, I enjoyed the film very much. A part of me felt something was missing in the manga, and I found some of those gaps were filled by the live-action film. As a recent graduate, I found myself strongly resonating with both Mitsuomi and Yamato.

Story & Acting:

The story does focus on the bond between Mitsuomi and Yamato; however, it branches out and explores their surrounding characters and settings which I appreciated. I was concerned whether Furukawa-san would be able to capture and dimensionalise Mitsuomi. However, I ended up enjoying his performance as he nailed those emotional scenes with or without dialogue. Ryusei-san also did an excellent job portraying Yamato. I didn't sense any forcefulness with either of their performance. The character interactions and chemistry were there. I appreciated the heartfelt and comedic moments it flowed well with the story.

Cinematography & Music

The soundtrack was okay; it didn't feel out of place, but it wasn't my taste of music (Edit: Some of the tracks grew on me) Some scenes had shaky camera movements and dull lighting. However, that didn't stop me from enjoying the film.

Notes:

I loved the little subtle details in colour coding. There is a portrayal of light and dark contrasts between the two leads viewers may pick up on later scenes.

Final thoughts:

If seeking a light romance film with a slow build-up and relaxing setting I would recommend this film.
For a more in-depth perspective from the characters, I would recommend reading the manga. *Chefs kiss*