Utahime: The Rock'n'Roll Housewives

Utahime: The Rock'n'Roll Housewives (Japanese: ウタヒメ 彼女たちのスモーク・オン・ザ・ウォーター) is a 2012 Japanese drama film directed by Yoshiko Hoshida. The film explores the lives of several women who find common ground and personal empowerment through the formation of a rock band.

Plot

The story centers on Mieko (Hitomi Kuroki), a housewife struggling with a distant husband and a daughter, Sayako (Hiroko Kurisaki), who is experiencing difficulties at school. Mieko reconnects with an old acquaintance, Kaori (Tae Kimura), a divorcee who reveals she has been financially exploited. After lending money to Kaori, Mieko begins working part-time at a convenience store to manage her finances. There, she encounters Yukimi (Shizuyo Yamazaki), a shoplifter with whom she unexpectedly bonds. The three women, along with Shinko (Miki Maya), eventually decide to form a rock band after hearing the song Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple at a karaoke bar.

Production

The film is based on the novel 1995 nen no Sumoku On Za Uota by Takahisa Igarashi, which was published by Futabasha on October 23, 2007. The screenplay was adapted by Yumiko Kamiyama. The film was released in Japan on February 11, 2012, with a runtime of 113 minutes.