First of all, why that title?
In the book *The Little Prince*, the prince asks the narrator to draw him a sheep. After several failed attempts, the narrator simply draws a box and says:
"The sheep you wanted is inside."
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Writer: Hirokazu Koreeda
Stars: Haruka Ayase, Daigo Yamamoto, Rimu Kuwaki
The prince is delighted because he can imagine the sheep for himself. It is a metaphor for the capacity to wonder and to imagine.
Watch the film to discover for yourself who or what you think represents the sheep or the box, and who or what embodies the prince and the narrator.
Unjustified negative reviews—mostly from Western critics—almost put me off watching this film. I’m glad I watched it in the end! Ignore those stereotypical Western critics who are generally incapable of grasping the introspective, nuanced, and seemingly minor scenes that are so common in Japanese and Korean cinema.
Although the themes and plot aren't exactly novel or daring, the film is brimming with heart and originality and features charismatic actors—merits enough to earn its own praise just as it is.
The main flaw I find is that "happy ending"—somewhat implausible and too convenient—which turned the whole film into an exercise in unnecessary sentimentality; had the ending been left more open for the audience to reflect upon, it would undoubtedly have been a better film.
Ignore the narrow-mindedness of Western critics and go see this deeply human story.
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