"You & I, we both live in the same world.

But each of our worlds are different."

This would be a reverse groundhog day! A woman suffers from dementia-like symptoms after a car accident. She lives each day as a fresh one, with no memories of past day, but retaining memories till one year ago.

It sounds weird in words. As in an affair one could have loved her for over a year, but to her he will appear only an acquaintance. Whereas an ex-partner from 5 years in the past can just easily appear to have more significance to her over him. But as it is with the magic in Japanese films, everything ends up convincing!

It so easy to forget the taste, feel and depth of our daily routine because the mundane we all experience brings an nearly invisible familiarity. So too, does that mindless pattern of life sometimes stray into something altogether different, transformational and of such nobility that it brings out a rarified kindness that makes a human effort for one another - a marvel to behold.

Silent Rain or aka Shizukana ame, tells such a story. Yuki meets Koyomi via a shared love of Taiyaki and her mastery of the confection. His limp and her uniqueness brew a concoction that is special and cherished by both in a slow blooming certitude until life - as it so often will - plays its usual mean tricks.

From a barely glowing ember something remarkable may occur and we are unable to turn away. As this wonderfully quiet and simple story tracks the tenacious and patient effort between two people we eavesdrop intimately in the pure process that only a skilled Japanese filmmaker can portray.

And make no mistake you will be glad to have made this journey because of the special effort of the actors making you believe what you see is real on the screen. This is an absolutely remarkable film!