Movie: Smile / Smilers
Romaji: Sumairu seiya no kiseki
Japanese: スマイル 聖夜の奇跡
Director: Takanori Jinnai
Writer: Takanori Jinnai(screenplay), Shigeki Kaneko (Screenplay), Takanori Jinnai (Novel)
Producer: Hideyuki Honma, Tomoyuki Miyagawa, Toru Ota, Shigemichi Sugita
Cinematographer: Shigeki Murano
Release Date: December 15, 2007
Runtime: 124min.
Studio: Fuji TV
Distributor: Toho
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan
Plot
After sustaining a career-ending injury, tap dancer, Shuhei Sano (Mirai Moriyama), arrives in Japan's snow-bound, northern island of Hokkaido with hopes of marrying his longtime girlfriend and figure skating instructor, Shizuka (Rosa Kato). But his plan quickly runs afoul on Shizuka's father, a local business magnate and ice rink owner, who is not ready to relinquish his daughter. Without good reason to deny the couple, however, the father reluctantly agrees to give his blessing if Shuhei can coach a local junior ice hockey team to their next victory. Despite having no prior knowledge of the game nor any skating experience, Shuhei accepts, unaware that the team has NEVER won a single game.
The"Smilers", as they seem unfittingly named, are a handful of self-proclaimed"losers","misfits" and"rejects" from other teams. More than talent, they lack any semblance of teamwork, motivation and confidence. But to everybody's surprise, Shuhei proves himself ready for them, employing an odd mix of child psychology, genuine concern and a few ingenious tricks to get the team to play to their potential and win!. Flabbergasted, Shizuka's father ups the ante by making his daughter's hand conditional upon winning the regional tournament − a goal that will require nothing short of a miracle given the near invincibility of the defending champions − a slick, well-financed hockey team run by a megalomaniac.
Just as Shuhei's magic and the team's hopes begin to wear thin, a beautiful young figure skater idolized by everyone at the rink becomes hospitalized with a terminal illness. With her chances of recovery as slim as the team's tournament victory, suddenly, the team has its battle cry. But will it be enough?
Cast
Mirai Moriyama - Shuhei Sano (Hockey coach)
Rosa Kato - Shizuka Yamaguchi
Moro Morooka - Shizuka Yamaguchi's father
Yoshiko Tanaka - Yukie Inotani
Kei Tani - Kunio Imaizumi
Kenji Sakaguchi - Masaya Inotani
Anri Okamoto - Reina Shinohara
Rikiya - Coach Shinichiro Tsurugi
Saya Takagi - Reina's mother
Jiro Sato - Mr Serisawa (teacher)
Hiroshi Tamaki - Mr. Tamaki (teacher)
Natsuki Harada
Takashi Tsukamoto - patron in restaurant with a Thai dinner date
Yutaka Matsushige - Takuya's father (divorced)
Naoko Iijima - Keiko Tajima (Takuya's mother)
Susumu Terajima - Night shift security guard at Hospital
Koichi Sato - Golfer at putting range
Kumiko Mori - Mikio's mom (wanted to be an opera singer)
Sachie Hara - Actress appearing onscreen in the cinema
Ai Miyoshi - Ai Teshima
Chinatsu Eguchi
Atsushi Yanaka