Okaasan

Sunny in tone, while being extremely depressing in content, about a family that struggles with death and financial hardship. The real star is Kyoko Kagawa, who plays the teenage daughter and serves as the film's voice. She has a heartbreaking demeanor to her, as she quietly (and not so quietly) witnesses the family's setbacks. This is a very touching film, reminiscent of a mix between Ozu and Mizoguchi. It strikes an odd feeling at times, but a compelling one.

Only Naruse could really make the desperate selling of a kimino as devastating as the selling of flesh. And that is just a minor tragedy in the film! Yet, as everyone notes, this really is much more optimistic than the travails of its characters might indicate in synopsis form. Credit Naruse for genuine and kind, but hardly grossly sentimental, storytelling. Tanaka is, as always, phenomenal.

With Kinuyo Tanaka at the center of attention, this was well on its way of becoming my favorite Naruse, but Mikio fumbled it for me. Felt more alive with a dying husband, than what he followed it up with. Life. Plain ordinary life. With expression too basic to keep the engagement it once had. There was still a sweetness present as the mother and daughter move on with their everyday lives. And that brought warmth. I just wish these was more to the story than just pedestrian life.