College is a Nice Place is way more relatable than I expected

Is it worth the watch?

If you've ever looked at your college degree and wondered if it was just a very expensive piece of paper, you should probably see this. It is great for anyone who likes vintage slice-of-life stuff, but people who need a fast plot will probably get bored and turn it off after ten minutes.

It’s a 1936 movie, so yeah, it’s old and the pacing is a bit like a slow walk on a hot day. 🍦

The whole thing mostly happens in these cramped, messy rooms where the students live. I really liked how unorganized everything looked, with books and clothes just piled up in the corners.

It feels real, unlike those movies where every dorm room looks like a furniture catalog. There is one scene where a guy is trying to study but he keeps getting distracted by literally nothing, and I felt that in my soul.

Tokuji Kobayashi plays one of the leads and he has this great, tired face. He looks like he has not slept since the start of the semester. 😴

There is a lot of focus on their shoes for some reason. Like, the camera just hangs out near the floor watching them put on shoes or take them off.

The movie gets way more interesting when they start talking about finding work. It is kind of depressing how much 1930s Japan feels like right now when it comes to the job market.

Chishū Ryū pops up, and he’s so young here it’s almost distracting. He has this calm energy even when everything else is kind of chaotic.

One scene with a job interview goes on about 30 seconds too long. The silence starts to feel awkward rather than emotional, and you can see the actor just waiting for the cut.

I noticed the laundry hanging in the background of a few shots. It’s such a small thing, but it made the world feel lived-in and not just a set. 🧺

Some of the female characters, like the one played by Sanae Takasugi, don't get enough to do. They kind of just show up to be 'the girl' and then the movie goes back to the guys moping around.

It reminded me a bit of the vibe in The Pretenders, even though that is a totally different era. Or maybe Adam's Eve if everyone was much more worried about rent.

There is this one guy who does a weird little celebratory dance when he thinks things are going his way. It is honestly so cringy that I had to look away for a second. 🕺

The movie doesn't really have a big, clean ending. It just sort of drifts away, which I guess is how college actually ends for most people anyway.

I think the script by Yasujirō Ozu and Masao Arata really captured that specific brand of student anxiety. Even if you don't speak the language, you can see it in how they slouch.

One reaction shot of a professor lingers so long it becomes funny. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to laugh, but I did.

It's not a perfect film, and some parts of the story feel like they were chopped out or lost. But the parts that are there have a lot of heart.

If you find a copy of this, definitely give it a go on a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect it to make you feel better about your career choices. ☔