Eburi manshi no yûga-na seikatsu

PeaceAnarchy's review is spot on but doesn't mesh with the high score IMO (movie IS well regarded though). For me it was too wry, (mildly) amusing and certainly a good idea well executed, but it didn't engage.

Amusing but rarely hilarious, which isn't bad but does tend to keep me distanced. It's a sort of black comedy about an everyday guy in a blossoming Japan, putting his life in the country's historical context. There's a lot of stuff that made me smile or chuckle and some interesting social commentary strewn about. It's a bit long, and fails to commit to either the comedy or the dark aspects, so instead of a black comedy it's more a lighthearted quirky film with somber undertones.