What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

After having read the reviews on Amazon, and of course as being a fan of Asian movies, then I decided to buy "Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers".Now having sat through it, I must say that the reviews that I read seemed to belong to an entirely other movie, because I didn't find it as interesting as they did. Sure the story is not boring, but it was rather uneventful and really didn't go anywhere. There was no particular climax to the story, and it seemed far longer than an hour and a half.The acting in "Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers" was adequate enough, though there wasn't any particularly interesting performances in the movie. The best performance was by the lead actress, Juri Ueno, however.I was expecting more from the movie, after having read it being about spies. The plot never really fully struck home and shone through on the screen. Hand on heart, then I sit here and think that this movie was basically rather plain and unnecessary.Now, having seen "Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers", the DVD will be bagged, tagged and placed on the shelf, most likely never ever to be seen again. It just didn't have that much appeal.

I came across this film almost by chance; it was recommended on Amazon when I went to by another film. As the price was reasonable and the description sounded different I decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did as it was laugh out loud funny in several places and I found myself smiling throughout. Suzume is an ordinary housewife whose husband is away on business; when he telephones her all he is interested in is whether she has fed the pet turtle. One day as she is going about her mundane life she spots a tiny advertisement which say that anybody interested in becoming a spy should phone the given number. When she does she finds her life changing in subtle ways; having been ordered to act as ordinary as possible while awaiting an assignment she strives to do nothing that might attract attention, this is sometimes a little tricky as her friend Kujaku (Peacock) draws attention where ever she goes! She learns that several people in her town are also employed as spies for an unknown foreign country each striving to go unnoticed to the point that one is famed for his so-so ramen even though he could cook it much better.For an impulse buy this was a real treat, there were lots of laughs and some fairly surreal humour. Juri Ueno was great as Suzume and Yû Aoi was a lot of fun as Kujaku; it is a pity her character wasn't in more, the rest of the characters were also pretty funny too. The plot was never very realistic but then it was never intended to be which is why it can be forgiven the anticlimactic but very surreal ending.

Being a fan of Yu Aoi, I make it a priority to see all of her films....at least the ones that are available with English subs. So when I came across the hilarious online trailer for "Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected", I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Lucky for me, I found a copy with English subtitles and went into it with huge expectations. Little did I know that pretty much all of the funny moments in this film are already shown in the trailer. I could compare the experience to already knowing the punchline to a joke, but then having to go through listening to the setup.The biggest problem with the movie is the story, or lack thereof. It does have an interesting premise, but definitely does not live up to its potential. I was quite disappointed with where the plot was going about half way into the film and the ending was just a mess! The film all too often strays away from the plot and gets down right ridiculous in some instances.I'm glad to say that not all is lost. Juri Ueno's performance was spectacular and her on screen charisma is what makes this film at least somewhat watchable. Yu Aoi was just as charming and adorable as she is in every film, but wasn't used nearly enough. I also must comment on the song playing at the end. It was very catchy and put a smile on my face even though the movie as a whole was a big letdown. Don't get me wrong, there are some funny parts in the movie, but they are few and far between.Overall I'm extremely disappointed even though the movie was still decent. Its more of the fact that it had so much potential and wasted it. An interesting premise + Juri and Yu would seem to be a sure thing, but instead the writers went with total absurdity + underdeveloped characters + pointless plot and thought that would somehow work.I give the film 6/10 but that is largely due to the performances of Juri and Yu.

This film's main attraction is Juri Ueno whose effortless charisma and charm make the film quite watchable if somewhat uneventful.Ueno plays Suzume, a bored housewife who decides to train as a spy at the hands of a middle-aged couple. Some scenes are extremely effective, such as Suzume's attempt to order something so normal that the waitress won't remember what she ordered, but they are the exception rather than the norm.The films moves along smoothly enough, including a de-rigeur chaotic climax with which the film concludes.The film is enjoyable enough. Ueno is always a pleasure to watch, and the quiet charm of the film leaves you with a smile on your face.