The Harmonium In My Memory

This really is a sweet, romantic movie. While I was watching it though, I did get a bit bored and felt it dragged a little (it does run almost 2 hours!) but for a story that attempts to realistically portray a young girl's crush on her school-teacher, a little bit of boredom is well worth the development it takes to set up the ending.

But still, I couldn't help feeling a little... well, awkward, I guess... at this young girl's admiration for her teacher, and her shy, yet honest attempts to get his attention. They were cute, I'll admit... but some of the things she did seemed really contradictory, and well, annoying. I mean, one minute she'll be hiding her face behind her book, or darting out of his line of vision; the next, unabashedly dedicating a very honest, frank, journal entry to him--one she knows he'll read. It was just a little odd considering the sudden shifts in behavior. But, I guess some people feel more comfortable writing about their feelings than talking about them... I know I do. But still, I'd never actually show anyone! And she was young, so I guess that could account for some of her bravado.

But I guess that just means she's got more guts than me. ^_^

And I have to say, I LOVE the poster for this. It seems nostalgic in a way, with just the colors and the positioning of the actors. It really does look like a photograph someone took of a cherished memory--honestly, I think the main reason I wanted to see this was because of its cover. I seem to be a sucker for judging a movie by its picture, rather than by its reviews and descriptions, lol... even though I'm continuously let down. Thankfully, this time I wasn't!

Her journal entries really freaked me out though. I can understand liking a teacher, but to be so bold as to talk openly about your crush in journal entries you know he'll read... yikes. It made me uncomfortable for both him and her. And the young girl herself... she seemed kind of weird to me, and a lot older than she was portrayed. But still, I liked the moments that showed her bonding with her teacher; they were very innocent and didn't overstep any boundaries.

The best thing about this movie is its ending--even with a title like this, it's easy to forget the foreshadowing that takes place throughout. It really makes up for the film's shortcomings, and satisfies anyone who's ever had a crush which seemed unlikely to come to fruition.

Definitely worth a watch, I'd say. ^_^

My Rating: