“After the acclaim of 2006’s What the Snow Brings, renowned director Negishi Kichitaro continues to touch audiences with the light, quirky, and equally inspired Side Car ni Inu, a.k.a. Dog in the Side Car. Based on Nagashima Yu’s Akutagawa Prize-winning novel, the film attracted a lot of media attention for being screen beauty Takeuchi Yuko’s first film after giving birth and separating from husband Nakamura Shido. Takeuchi, known for her quiet, tender roles in films like Be With You and Snowy Love Fall in Spring, plays against type as a charmingly brassy and liberated woman who develops a friendship with a young girl. Having recently become a mother herself, Takeuchi handles the subtleties of her surrogate mother role well, striking a natural chemistry with newcomer Matsumoto Kana.

Kaoru (Matsumoto Kana) is just a normal girl living with her annoying brother (Taniyama Takeru), harried mom (Suzuki Sawa, Loft), and languid dad (Furuta Arata, Hana), until one day her mom just ups and leaves. Soon after her dad’s new girlfriend Yoko (Takeuchi Yuko) comes strolling in. Kaoru isn’t sure what to make of Yoko, who is brash, forward, good-humored, and at times downright uncouth. As the summer passes day by day, a unique friendship forms between them and Kaoru opens her eyes to a new, exciting world, even as reality begins to catch up.”

Dog in a Sidecar サイドカーに犬 (2007) NTSC DVD9
Subtitle: English, Japanese, Chinese

imdb.com/title/tt0997093/