Welcome back to Foreign Movie Fridays, where each Friday, I’ll be taking a look at a well-known foreign film and giving my thoughts on it. Today, I’ll be looking at one of Yasujiro Ozu’s most well-known films, Tokyo Story. Alongside Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu has been regarded as one of the most influential Japanese filmmakers in the 20th Century, with his movies focusing on the themes of family and the passage of time and how time affects the relationship of the characters. Those themes are especially present in Tokyo Story, which deals with an elderly couple visiting their children during a trip to the suburbs of Tokyo, after the couple lost their son in a civil war. However, their children are very occupied with their personal lives, preventing them from spending time with their parents, and it contrasts with the couple’s encounter with their daughter-in-law, who treats with kindness and takes her time from her schedule to spend time with them.
Telling its story at a slow pace, Ozu showcases the broken relationship between the two generations of the Hirayama monarchy, where we see the old couple trying to reconnect with their children and meeting their grandchildren, only to find out their children are occupied with their personal stuff, and it adds to the themes of isolation, reflection, grief and loneliness demonstrated in the film. As the movie progresses, we learn about the death of the Hirayama couple, Shoji, during the Pacific War, which makes the relationship between the daughter-in-law, Noriko, with her parents-in-law feel more personal as she gives time to entertain them and console them during these hard times, and near the end of the film, we see the crack of the siblings’ relationship with each other when they visit their mother’s funeral, who dies after falling ill following her return.
The main idea of the film is showcasing how life can be disappointing and not living up to your expectations. As I was watching the film, I resonated with the couple’s frustrations with their children, as they felt that their children have moved on from them and not wanting to spend time with them, and by the end of the film, the father comes to terms with that fact. That theme has resonated with many viewers throughout the years as they saw it matched with their perception of life as well as feeling being distanced from their loved ones and it will help you appreciate your own loved ones and being there for them.
The camerawork acts like a character in the film and it elevates the dramatic moments between family members and the film uses its slow pace to move the story and meditate on its themes. The performances by the cast are wonderful and each one gives an honest, gut-wrenching performance, especially Chishu Ryu as Shukichi Hirayama, Chieko Higashama as Tomi and Setsuko Hara as Noriko. The best part of the movie has to be the scenes between the Hirayama couple with Noriko, as the actors demonstrate their chemistry with each other and make their bond believable.
Overall, There’s a reason why Tokyo Story is considered to be Yasujiro Ozu’s magnum opus, as he had managed to make a heartfelt, personal film that showcases the rift between the parents and their children and subtly portrays the selfishness and indifference of the younger generation who see the people who sacrificed so much to raise them as a burden. This movie will have you reflect on your life and make you appreciate your own family.
