Plastic Love!, 2026.
Directed by Sybilla Patrizia and Clementine Nuttall.
Featuring Nami Miyahara, Akira Sakano, Komichi Ikeda, Mamoru Kamata, Yuzuru Oikawa, Taisuke Sato, Etsuko Yamada, Kazumi Murose.
SYNOPSIS:
A pop-infused dive into Japan’s love of packaging – and how it might hold the key to escaping a plastic-wrapped future.
We encounter plastic every day. It has wrapped itself around our lives like packaging (pun intended), consuming so much space and becoming a constant frustration when it comes to deciphering whether it can be recycled in our household bins or if it needs to be taken to a supermarket recycling point. Plastic Love! is a documentary directed by Sybilla Patrizia and Clementine Nuttall that examines Japan’s love of packaging and whether the country can help the world escape its overreliance on plastic. However, the final product feels more like an extended disclaimer than a meaningful exploration of effective solutions.
Told through a series of vignettes spanning many different prefectures of Japan, we see how people are tackling the plastic waste problem. From refuse collectors trying to make recycling engaging for young children, to incinerator plant workers who burn tonnes of plastic, to craftsmen who continue to make lacquer-based tableware, the documentary showcases a variety of approaches. Across its 84-minute runtime, we see just how people are tackling plastic waste. Yet throughout the film, while we hear from people who are confronting an issue affecting the entire world, it never offers any meaningful solutions of its own.
While the bowls and chopsticks crafted by the artisans look incredible, I would happily have a set in my own home. However, moving entirely to wooden tableware is not going to change the fact that juice bottles are still made from plastic. This is a common trend throughout the film. Where people discuss recycling efforts but never offer solutions capable of creating meaningful change on a global scale. While these are admirable, I know how people can be, and sorting recycling into more than 47 different categories, sometimes even requiring it to be washed beforehand, is likely to feel more burdensome than beneficial.
The film never really states how we can move forward. Instead, its message comes across more as a lecture on the harm plastic causes to the environment, an obvious point to make in 2026. Nevertheless, the filmmaking itself is stunning. The documentary looks gorgeous throughout, with immaculate cinematography. However, this is occasionally accompanied by awkward narration that feels stilted in its delivery. The editing is also extremely strong, allowing the film to transition smoothly from subject to subject, although it rarely gives the audience much time to breathe.
Plastic Love! is a documentary that I think documentary enthusiasts will get a lot out of, given the quality of the craft on display. However, audiences looking for insight into how plastic waste can be reduced, or how we can change our habits to tackle the issue, will be sorely disappointed by what is presented here.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Chris Ward
