Picture Bride revolves around the experiences of Riyo (Youki Kudoh), a 17-year-old who leaves Yokohama, Japan, in order to marry a man she's never met in Hawaii in 1918.
Matsuji (Akira Takayama) turns out to be 25 years older than she is and very set in his ways. Their relationship is unfulfilling to both of them. Meanwhile, Riyo, a former city dweller, finds it difficult working in the sugar fields. She is befriended by Kana (Tamlyn Tomita), a disciplined mother who earns extra money doing laundry after work in the fields.
Riyo puts money away for a return to Japan until she slowly begins to see her life with fresh eyes. Japanese-American director Kayo Hatta does a fine job orchestrating this unique drama, which has been beautifully photographed in Hawaii. Picture Bride is a sturdy story about the resilience of immigrants.