Chen Liang leaves his hometown for Japan to improve his life, despite the disapproval of his sickly mother and elderly grandmother. Life for an illegal Chinese immigrant with a fake ID is not easy, and one day he receives a call about a job offer intended for someone else. Without hesitation he takes the job and starts working at a traditional Japanese restaurant under a soba master. He even finds a beautiful girlfriend, but is terrified that his identity could be exposed at any moment. Chen Liang’s alienation, mistrust and guilt lead to a snowballing of unfortunate events. The balance and quality accomplished in this Japanese-Chinese co-production belies the fact that this is the debut feature by director Chikaura Kei. The supreme ensemble cast of Lu Yulai and Fuji Tatsuya stands out, and their acting is well supported by the skillful directing, especially in the latter part, when the situation becomes urgent and the tension rises. (Karen Park)