Cast Me If You Can

This Japanese rom-com focuses on struggling actor Hiroshi (Toru Masuoka), whose career in supporting roles has brought him recognition but not fame (in public, he's often mistaken for somebody else). Hiroshi's father, Kenta (Masahiko Tsugawa), is a celebrated playwright who views his son's dramatic career with contempt. But Hiroshi's life changes when he meets aspiring actress Aya (Hiromi Nagasaku), believing that she is destined to be the love of his life. Filmmaker Atsushi Ogata offers amusing insights into the Japanese entertainment industry, especially the concept of fame in a country where the national culture traditionally discourages self-promotion. Also entertaining is Hiroshi's endless dilemma of being the victim of mistaken identity—which at one point leads to his arrest when he's incorrectly assumed to be a wanted criminal. However, the Hiroshi-Aya love story never quite resonates, and the film starts to lose steam by the two-thirds mark. The real draw here is Tsugawa as the grouchy dad who cannot fathom his offspring's apparent lack of success; it's a shame the film didn't follow the combustible father-son dynamic rather than veer into the too-safe territory of romantic fluff. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)