Also Known As: 花より男子, Hachimitsu to Clover, Hachimitsu to Kuroba, Hachimitsu & Clover, HachiKuro
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Running time: 117 minutes
Genres: Romance, Love, Friendship, Live-Action
Directed by: Masahiro Takada
Produced by: Shinji Ogawa
Written by: Umino Chika (story by), Masahiko Kawahara, Masahiro Takada
Starring: Seki Megumi (as Ayumi Yamada), Aoi Yuu (as Hagumi Hanamoto), Iseya Yusuke (as Shinobu Morita), Kase Ryo (as Takumi Mayama), Sakurai Sho (as Yuuta Takemoto), Nishida Naomi (as Rika Harada), Sakai Masato (as Shuuji Hanamoto)
Release Date: 2006

Official Website: Honey & Clover Official Site

Plot Synopsis:
Live-action adaptation of the best selling comic by Chika Umino - Honey & Clover centers around four art students (Takemoto Yuta, Mayama Takumi, Morita Shinobu and Yamada Ayumi) who live in the same housing complex that is run by an art teacher, Hanamoto Shuji. Yuuta Takemoto, Takumi Mayama, and Shinobu Morita share an appartment. All three are poor and must struggle for every meal, but otherwise live a fulfiling college life.

During a party at the complex, Hanamoto introduces a new member to the building, a relative of his, named Hanamoto Hagumi. She is the niece of an art professor at the university and is known as a child prodigy. Takemoto instantly falls in love with Hagumi. Morita is the type that lives life on the edge, is extremely confident and talented in art. When Morita gets to spend time alone with Hagu, he expresses his feelings to her by kissing her suddenly. His friend and neighbor in the dormitory is Takemoto. He is more withdrawn, not as talented in art, and, even though he is in love with Hagu, tries to act like a friend to her.

While Takemoto is trying to confess his love, another love story between Mayama and Yamada is happening. Ayumi loves Mayama from the bottom of her heart. Mayama likes Yamada as a friend but secretly he loves an older women named Harada Rika who is also his boss at work.

Hagu is perfect. Takemoto looks very silly here - the biggest let down of the whole movie. Morita is actually the best out of the 3 main guys, he has that artist charisma too. Mayama is a stalker and he’s skinny. Yamada looks good, too bad they never show her “Iron Lady” power. As they all grow closer together, they must cope with the unpredictable nature of love, as well as find their own respective places in life.

Compared to the anime/manga, this movie stands alone quite well. The sceneries in the movie coupled with the BGM (by popular composer, Yoko Kanno) really sets it apart from the anime/manga. But I like it a lot.

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