Daigaku no wakadanna: A bit of old-school college charm

Is it worth your time?

If you like old black-and-white stuff and don't mind a movie that feels like a slightly dusty stage play, you’ll probably find something to like here. It's not high-stakes drama. If you need explosions or a tight, fast-paced script, stay far away. This is for people who want to see what 1930s Japan looked like when it was trying to be funny and lighthearted.

The whole thing has this loose, baggy feel. You can tell they weren't stressing over every single frame like directors do today. Sometimes the characters just stand there, and the scene goes on for a bit too long, but it’s kind of charming in its own weird way. It reminds me of the pacing in Bab's Matinee Idol—just people bumping into problems and trying to act cool about it.

Odd moments that stuck

• The way the actors enter a room is almost like a dance. Nobody just walks in; they have this weird, practiced pivot.
• The background extras in the street scenes have no idea what to do with their hands. It’s hilarious if you watch them instead of the main actors.
• There’s a scene in a classroom that feels like it lasts for an eternity, but then someone says something totally random and the whole room erupts.

It’s not trying to be So Big! or anything heavy. It’s just a student life movie. The main guy, the "wakadanna," is basically just trying to survive being young and rich. It’s a trope that never really goes out of style, honestly.

I found myself wondering if they even had a script for half the scenes, or if they just told everyone to act like they were having a good time. There's this one reaction shot of the father that lasts about five seconds too long. You can literally see him trying to remember his next line. It’s perfect.

Sometimes the movie gets noticeably better when it stops trying to be a comedy and just lets the characters exist. There’s a quiet moment near the middle where they’re just sitting around and the lighting is actually kind of beautiful, despite the age of the film. It’s a nice break from the forced antics.

It’s not a masterpiece. But you know what? It’s not a headache either. 📽️