I'll first get all the technical thoughts aside before I delve into some of the more vague and story-like issues that I have with this movie.

Overall, I adore the Pornographer (or "The Novelist") series. I fell in love so hard with the TV series and, to this day, I rewatch it again and again. It is a masterpiece, and truly a cut above all other BL series, and movies, that I've seen. Given that, I can wholeheartedly say I loved this movie! It was so great to finally be able to watch it. On a technical scale, it's beautifully shot and directed. The music is suburb and it features the very memorable score from the series,. It never falls into traps of awkward background music or forcing themes or feelings down an audiences throat through very explicit scores. I don't even think anything needs to be said about the acting! It felt real and raw, and the actors really spared no expense when it came to drilling down deep into their emotions. Not to mention, the more explicit scenes weren't overdone or panned away from. They were well timed, well shot, and they felt really appropriate to the characters and the story.

Those things aside: the story for this movie is where I have a couple of issues. I'll preface it by saying that I've read the manga, so I was aware of where the story was headed after the series ended and after watching Spring Life. Even then, I think the movie suffered from struggles typical to sequels....where, I just don't know why this movie had to happen the way it did. Or really, why it was necessary. As a fan, sure. I can always watch more of Kijima and Kuzumi, and Kido and all of them. They are great, and complex, characters. But...the way the series ended off was vauge in a good way. It set up Kijima on this path for self-reflection and a lot of inner character work. He had to face his insecurities, find his purpose in life, and wrestle with quite a large amount of trauma and inner demonds. Things could have remained the way they were, and the implication that Kijima went off on a journey of self discovery, and Kuzumi moved on with his life in some way or another (I dunno...in some aspect that grew him into more than Kijimia's stan).
I know the film is an adaptation, so it is limited to the source materal. Even in saying that, this film really didn't seem to do a whole lot. Things end in the film almost similar to how they start. Kijima's own growth is minimal to none, and Kuzumi is an accessory who doesn't seem to learn or grow much at all. He starts, and ends, completely whipped for a manipulative and insecure man. I suppose what bothers me most is the lack of believability in how they move past these issues both as individuals, and as a "couple". Kijima can do the bare minimum and be rewarded and forgiven, whilst Kuzumi can go above and beyond and remain quite unnoticed. It might be that chemistry, or dynamic, that made this film much harder to watch than the series. At least within the series, the dynamic between the two of them (although quite problematic and rife with the same manipulation as in this film) can be somewhat justified by the falling-in-love stages, and the subsequent vague "they met and now they will move on to better their lives" sort of ending. In the film, they are labelled as not quite seeing each other (because even at the end you have characters asking 'are you officially seeing each other?') whilst still being beholden to the same standards of a relationship - or at least, Kuzumi is. As a result, Kijima's own personal growth is awkwardly tied to Kuzumi somehow, or at least, he keeps showing up in it when really...you could cut him out and somehow, Kijima's trajectory could still be the same.
That might be the crux of my disatisfaction when it comes to this movie. Really, it was a struggle for the reason that the film couldn't justify why the two of them should be together. Kijima, after 2 and a half years (or so) had not changed in any way as a person, and the only thing that inspired some semblence of change was Kuzumi deciding to "leave" (if you can even call it that) him. Kijima barely explains himself or aims to rectify his actions (beyond an "i'm sorry") and Kuzumi, somehow, goes along with it. All I could think was, "It'd be so much better if they simply parted ways." By the end of the film, it felt like I was watching a lesser and less interesting version of the series. As though the strong story dynamics and big emotional features that made it compelling were severely watered down and muddled in the film. Another odd point was after Kijima's insane, massive, betrayal - the moment seems to fade so quickly? Or it loses it's impact. Such a momentous point in the story is never referenced directly after the scene ends, and instead, we're caught up in the story of Haruka and her son.
That brings me to the point of Haruka and her story. They are lovely characters, don't get me wrong! I think the actress who played Haruka is fantastic, and I could watch her all day long. But, I was constantly wondering why I was watching them. Shizuo was there to make Kuzumi jealous and Haruka...was just...there to get sick? And maybe drop a wisom bomb? They had such potential, but their story was so out of place and Kijima's sudden affection for the family felt the same. During most of their scenes, I couldn't really get behind any of their interactions or care much about them at all. Their purpose felt far too 2 dimensional, and it ended up taking away from the story of the film as a whole.

Overall, the film had a lot of potential. The story was rich in a lot of interesting themes that could've been explored in a much more griping way if there hadn't been 1 dimensional side characters, and restrictive love-tropes in the story telling. I wanted to root for Kuzumi and Kijima just as I did in the series, and get excited for their journey together. But, by the end of the film all I could feel was unsettled and unsure. The film tries hard to convince you that they are supposed to be together, but I couldn't quite see it. There were huge gaps in Kijima's character that needed proper time and space to address well (the issues with his family, his feeling out of place, his lack of purpose, his insecurity etc). The series set up that journey, and the film failed to deliver. Instead, there are bland side stories and underused side characters. In doing so, the film also sidelines the other "main" character - Kuzumi - into someone that is just an accessory. I suppose, one thought against that might be that this film takes place from Kijima's point of view, so Kuzumi's own character development doesn't really need to feature that much. I suppose...I can understand that, however, that still doesn't justify why Kijima is so lacking of personal substance, and why he and Kuzumi should end up together. I really wanted to love it as much as the series, and it is disappointing how much I felt the film was lacking...there was so much potential but...ah well.

It does still rate quite highly because, these issues aside, it is a good piece of work. However, I can't see myself rewatching it or fawning over it the same way I do with the series.