榮獲盧卡諾評審團大獎。原著《東京奇譚集》村上春樹，奧斯卡最佳配樂得主坂本龍一配樂。有著古怪名字的東尼瀧谷，孤獨，是他早已落實的生活模式。直到愛上別人，他才開始感受到害怕失去的寂寞。改編村上春樹同名小說，市川準以冷冽獨到的電影語法將簡短的文字轉化成扣人心弦的影像，打破了「村上作品不能改編成電影」的魔咒，也助宮澤理惠演技更上層樓。

Suzume Katagura, a bored housewife, spends her days doing chores and taking care of her husband's pet turtle. One day, she sees a wanted ad for spies. Hoping for some excitement in her life, she decides to give them a call.

故事以夏季的北海道函館為舞台，講述了辭掉工作無所事事的主人公佐藤達夫（綾野剛飾），在游戲廳遇到了性格粗暴的“自來熟”青年大城拓兒（菅野將暉飾），達夫跟隨拓兒來到所謂的“家”，一間簡陋的臨時工棚，裡面住著正在熟睡的父親、熱情的母親、以及姐姐千夏（池脅千鶴飾），在這個被世人瞧不起的地方，達夫愛上了在他眼裡“閃耀光芒”的千夏。

根據五度獲得芥川賞提名、1990年自殺的函館作家佐藤泰志未完成的遺作改編，全片由五個不相干的日常故事組成，備受台灣觀眾喜愛的男星加瀨亮，這回在片中改頭換面，詮釋一名為了生計焦頭爛額的粗暴男人。 片名「海炭市」的原型即是函館，這部由函館市民親身參與企劃、籌資演出的電影，在世紀大海嘯之後的今日看來，彷彿一記警世鳴鐘，感動指數更勝日本國民電影《ALWAYS幸福的三丁目》。

Sasaki has had a difficult period, going through a divorce and losing his job. To take a break and start anew, Sasaki decides to visit Iriomote Island. While there, Sasaki's belongings are stolen by four homeless men. Sasaki then lives with three other people: a survivalist, a city man and a girl who speaks Kansai dialect. One day, Sasaki hears news about the four homeless men and decides to get revenge ...

A young Chinese Go board game player arrives in Japan for training. He doesn't speak Japanese and becomes embarrassed living there. By dropping his Go stones, he happens to meet an old Japanese woman who sells vegetables on the street. They become familiar with each other. The young Chinese Go player, the old woman named Igarashi and her grandson Shoichi then live together.

Mika, who grew up in an orphanage, having been abandoned soon after birth, begins to look for her mother Naoko. Finding Naoko living happily with her husband and teenage daughter Ayano, she continues to watch from afar...