The film "Merry We Roll Along" will be released at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya and other theaters from June 26th. In preparation for the theatrical release, a second round of endorsement comments from celebrities who love musicals has arrived.

The film "Merry We Roll Along" © 2025 Now You Know Film LP

＜2024 Tony Awards 4 categories won＞

Outstanding Musical Revival Award / Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (Jonathan Groff) Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Daniel Radcliffe) / Outstanding Orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick)

A musical that won four Tony Awards in 2024, depicting the turbulent relationship between a composer and his lifelong friend, a writer and lyricist, over 20 years, will appear on the screen!

A lavish cast including Jonathan Groff (Christoff in "Frozen") and Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter") will appear in the Broadway production directed by Maria Friedman, which was highly acclaimed. This work will be released in theaters from June 26th (Fri) at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya and other theaters. In commemoration of the release of this work, celebrities who love musicals have sent their endorsement comments. Following the first round of comments already announced, we will publish the second round of comments from Ohno Shinobu, Inoue Yoshio, and Hagiwara Hitomi. Incidentally, Ohno Shinobu has a history of appearing in "A Little Night Music" (lyrics and music by Sondheim), directed by Maria Friedman, in 2018.

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"Merry We Roll Along" Endorsement Comments Second Round

I couldn't take my eyes off it for a moment. Of course, the music, the actors' lines, and their expressions. I kept thinking this must have been a stage. I can see real living people there. How amazing is that.

Sondheim's music is truly wonderful, and Maria, who understands his music so well, must have created this work with such delicacy. The themes of this work are also wonderful.

Youth, dreams, choices in life, separation, giving up, and friendship, the painful feelings that everyone must have deep in their hearts, these come pressing on the viewer's heart along with the music. Of course, with laughter mixed in.

Ah, it was fun! Ah, it was good!

I gave a big round of applause to Maria, who is across the sea, and to Sondheim, who is now in the sky.

Ohno Shinobu (Actor)

As someone who openly declares themselves a musical otaku, it's embarrassing to say, but this was the first time I really watched this work. And it was tremendously fun!

I felt the greatness of Sondheim's works in a life-sized way, which was deeply moving, but more than that, I was overwhelmed by the wonderfulness of this latest Broadway version as a musical. I really want to say thank you for making it into a film!

The cleverness of the structure that goes back in time. Because of that, as the scene progresses, the sadness increases in a way that is contrary to the scene itself, a first-time experience. Each character sings because they have a reason to sing, a natural flow as a musical. The question of fame or conviction, a question that pierces even myself, with no correct answer. Between you and me, there are things that exist and things that do not.

I feel the necessity of this story being a musical painfully, and I realize the greatness of what Sondheim left behind.

Inoue Yoshio (Actor)

Three people who were once connected in heart but are now scattered. The structure that depicts the 20 years they walked, going back in time, is stylish. The bittersweetness and sadness of life spread gently from the drama that goes backward, but the last scene that returns to the origin lights a gentle light in the heart, a wonderful work. The attractive songs that connect the flow of time and sing of bonds, such as the title song and "Our Time," are lyrics and music by the master Sondheim. Daniel Radcliffe's acting, who starred in this work and won a Tony Award, is also a must-see.

Hagiwara Hitomi (Film and Theater Critic)

(In no particular order, no honorifics)

The film "Merry We Roll Along" Copyright/courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

"Merry We Roll Along" Endorsement Comments First Round

The unshakable friendship of three young people, Frank, Charles, and Mary, who dream of success in the show business world, changes in various and complex ways, and then...

Contrary to the title "Cheerfully, moving (rolling) forward," the bitterness of life cannot be settled with mere niceties, and it surges with plenty of irony along with Sondheim's beautiful music.

The reverse from the present to the past is also brilliant, further enhancing the sadness. Above all, the passionate performances of the actors are tremendous! It's a must-see stage!

Kiriyama Daimu (Actor)

I was so immersed in Sondheim's complexly intertwined yet somehow cheerful music and the wonderful performances of the actors that I forgot it was a film.

A "reverse playback musical" that goes back 20 years for the three of them (and the people around them) from the present. Because we know the current them, the past exchanges and smiles hurt my heart, and I felt each of their thoughts more vividly.

It was also nice to be able to watch it like a review since I saw it on stage in Japan five years ago.

This is a precious opportunity to watch a work that has won numerous Tony Awards in Japanese theaters! Be sure not to miss it!

Mioka Kazuto (Actor)

This work, which was initially a failure at its premiere in 1981, has become a "miraculous revival" through the direction of Maria Friedman, a British theater person.

Friedman, who had a close relationship with Sondheim, played the role of Mary in the UK performance in 1992, and since then has revised the script and directed the revival version, winning the Olivier Award in 2014. Furthermore, she fulfilled the revival on Broadway, inheriting Sondheim's will, and won four Tony Awards in 2024.

The story sings of the poignancy of life and the wonderfulness of youth, going back 20 years from the present where the friendship relationship has collapsed. In reality, friendship that crossed the sea between England and America has revived Broadway's treasure after about 40 years.

Tsutsumi Hiroshi (Stage Critic)

(In no particular order, no honorifics)

The film "Merry We Roll Along" Copyright/courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Theaters

※Each theater is a limited-time release, so be sure not to miss it

Hokkaido Sapporo Cinema Frontiers 7/10 (Fri) ~ 7/16 (Wed) AEON Cinema Ebetsu 7/10 (Fri) ~ 7/16 (Wed) Tokyo TOHO Cinemas Hibiya 6/26 (Fri) ~ TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro 6/26 (Fri) ~ 109 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku 7/10 (Fri) ~ Kanagawa Lawson United Cinemas STYLE-S Minato Mirai 7/10 (Fri) ~ 109 Cinemas Kohnan 7/10 (Fri) ~ 109 Cinemas Yumegaoka 7/10 (Fri) ~ 109 Cinemas Shonan 7/10 (Fri) ~ Kawasaki City Art Center 7/18 (Sat) ~ Ibaraki MOVIX Tsukuba 7/10 (Fri) ~ 7/16 (Wed) Gunma MOVIX Isezaki 7/10 (Fri) ~ 7/16 (Wed) Saitama MOVIX Kawaguchi 7/10 (Fri) ~ 7/16 (Wed) AEON Cinema Urawa Miyoshi 7/10 (Fri) Keywords: