Stupeur Et Tremblements

To say the movie is a comedy is not entirely correct. It is a bitter comedy that is based on a true story, written in a novel format by Amélie Nothomb. A Belgian woman, Amélie, was born in Japan and left at the age of 5. In her 20s, she decided to go back to the place of her birth, whose aesthetics has appealed to her all her life. Her goal is to work for a Japanese company. But here is where the troubles begin. Even though she speaks 100 percent fluent Japanese, she is not aware of the unspoken rules in the Japanese corporate culture--which put the collective well-being, hierarchy and "face" before the individual feelings and need for recognition.

Starting with the typical task for female employees of the lowest rank in a Japanese company--pouring tea and coffee, Amélie unfortunately made many blunders in the beginning, and gradually she has sunk to the lowest position of having to wash the toilet and being humiliated day after day by her masochistic female boss (plus the chain of bosses above). The many screams and violent behavior at the Japanese workplace are shocking, but probably true to some extend. Upon her return to Belgium, Amélie published a book of her experience and it became a big success. When her female boss, who once considered her a retarded Westerner, finds out about this, she is dumbfounded!

The movie is worth seeing for a good understanding of the subtle cultural nuances in the Japanese workplace. It shows racial discrimination and ignorance in its most brutal form. I am most curious about what Japanese people think of this movie (or the book).