Film Review: Love Like the Falling Petals (2022) — A Beautiful Love, but One That Fades Too Soon

 

Love Like the Falling Petals (Original title: Sakura no yôna boku no koibito) | 2022 | 2h 8m
Genre: Drama/Romance | Country: Japan
Director: Yoshihiro Fukagawa | Writers: Keisuke Uyama, Tomoko Yoshida
Cast: Kento Nakajima, Honoka Matsumoto, Kento Nagayama
IMDB: 6.6
My Rate: 8/10

Haruto’s love for Misaki, along with Misaki’s determination to chase her dreams, reignites his passion to become a photographer. But their love is tested when Misaki suddenly suffers from a rare disease that causes her to age rapidly.

Warning:

Sexual content, suicide, and strong language

---

Synopsis:

Haruto falls in love with Misaki, a hairdresser, and tries to get close to her. A misunderstanding happens when Misaki assumes that Haruto works as a photographer. But after Misaki discovers the truth and rejects him, Haruto decides to truly pursue his dream of becoming one. He is determined to win back her heart.

After disappearing for some time, Haruto reappears and confesses his love to Misaki. Their relationship blossoms beautifully—until Misaki discovers the heartbreaking truth that she suffers from a disease that makes her age quickly.

Not wanting to burden Haruto with sadness or worry, Misaki decides to end their relationship without explaining why. She even pretends to rekindle things with her ex-boyfriend. This leaves Haruto heartbroken, and the pain begins to affect his work.

Will their love story find a happy ending?

---

Review:

Imagine aging in an instant, watching your once-beautiful life slowly crumble before your eyes. No future to plan, no time left to wait. Love Like the Falling Petals, adapted from Keisuke Uyama’s novel, presents a different kind of love—beautiful like cherry blossoms, but destined to fall too soon. A simple love story that quietly surpasses expectations.

It begins with a casual encounter that sparks an unexpected affection between the two main characters. From there, their bond grows, pushing each of them to become the best version of themselves. Misaki keeps striving to become a professional hairstylist, while Haruto steps into the world of photography with all its struggles. Their shared determination becomes the bridge that connects their hearts, creating a sincere and heartfelt closeness.

Although their relationship development is shown through brief moments, the emotions between them are still palpable—until the unthinkable happens. Misaki, who once had a bright future, is faced with a rare illness that shortens her life and rapidly ages her body. Her inner turmoil is portrayed clearly—she wants to be with Haruto, but she knows she must let him go. Jealousy even creeps in when she sees the youthful beauty of her brother’s fiancée.

This film is filled with touching, heart-stirring moments. True, the depiction of the illness strays from medical realism, but that detail is easy to forgive because the emotional message carries far more weight.

The ending is both heartbreaking and tender. Misunderstandings slowly untangle, regrets surface at the most unexpected time, and the characters begin to make peace with their fate—accepting loss in a quiet yet honest way.

The acting is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Kento Nakajima delivers a deeply moving performance—his cries and shouts of grief leave a strong impression. Haruto’s tears don’t just belong to his character; they echo the pain of anyone who’s ever feared losing someone. The rest of the cast performs with balance and sincerity, maintaining the emotional tone until the very end.

On the technical side, the film shines with its music and visuals. The soundtrack perfectly captures each emotional beat, while the bright color palette reflects the spring season—symbolizing hope that slowly fades away. The cinematography is equally beautiful, enhancing the tender atmosphere of each scene.

That said, one weak point lies in Misaki’s physical transformation—it isn’t portrayed strongly enough. Perhaps the director wanted to keep it subtle, but the result makes it harder for viewers to truly feel her suffering.

Overall, Love Like the Falling Petals is a story about the sincerity of love that transcends time, appearance, and circumstance—a reminder of the essential foundation every relationship needs.

“Love shouldn’t just be about what’s seen by the eyes, but what’s felt by the heart.”

---

Memorable Scene:

When Takashi discovers that the rehabilitation center they went to was a scam, he’s overwhelmed by guilt and despair. He feels powerless for not being able to save Misaki. Yet, he had done everything he could—searching for treatments, carrying Misaki through places cars couldn’t reach, and nearly sacrificing his own future and relationship.

In real life, we often feel the same—that our efforts to help someone we love never seem enough. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned, and the ending feels unfair. But that doesn’t mean our efforts were meaningless. In every step and every act of sincerity, there’s meaning—even if it doesn’t lead to a miracle, sometimes presence itself is enough.

 

Memorable Line:

“What do you want to do with your life?”

 

Ending:

Sad Ending

 

Recommendation:

Worth to Watch

(Aluna)