On the night before November, one of the largest events in the retail industry, “Black Friday,” an incident occurred where a cardboard box shipped from a world-renowned shopping site’s Kanto center exploded. Soon, it developed into a series of bombings that plunged Japan into fear…
On August 23, the movie “Last Mile” was released. The film is directed by Ayuko Tsukahara, known for her work on numerous acclaimed dramas. The screenplay is written by Akiko Nogi, who has created many beloved dramas and films. This film intersects with the worldlines of the dramas “Unnatural” and “MIU404” created by both, forming a shared universe and is a completely original film work.
The lead role is played by Hikari Mitsushima, who portrays Elena Funato, the head of the Kanto center of the shopping site where the incidents take place. In addition, Masaki Okada plays Ko Nishimoto, the team manager of the center who is thrown into chaos by Elena while working to solve the case. “Last Mile” depicts the days leading up to the resolution of the serial bombings, filled with mystery about who the culprit is, as well as social issues such as logistics challenges and non-regular workers, making it a rich entertaining piece.
As a key character in this story and the one closest to the audience, we asked Mr. Okada about the messages embedded in this work as well as his sense of duty as an actor.
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— Please tell us your impressions when you read the script for “Last Mile.”
First of all, I was surprised that among the few works depicting the inside of logistics warehouses, Nogi chose to handle this subject. I wasn’t very knowledgeable about logistics, but through discussions and explanations, I began to feel the importance of logistics more strongly. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s a job that truly supports Japan, and I am very grateful to be able to portray such an important role. It was a bit of a pressure, though.
— The recent Amazon Prime Day made me realize how timely the content of this film is.
Absolutely. When I see sales, the events depicted in this movie come to my mind, and my heart races; I felt a jolt, indeed.
— Have you ever taken advantage of sales before?
Of course, I have! (laughs)
— Has portraying Ko Nishimoto changed your perception of sales?
It’s not so much that I’ve changed due to playing Nishimoto, but I find myself thinking more about the possibility of the events depicted in the film happening in reality.
