Thursday, September 30, 2010
ALL UNHAPPY FAMILIES ARE NOT THE SAME
Today's film was Kiyoshi Kurosawa's
A salary man loses his job and, through shame does not tell his wife or two sons. He goes to "work" every day with many other unemployed men who are in the same situation.
There is another film we saw with this same starting idea but this film does not plow the same ground.
In this one, Kurosawa shows us how each family member has a repressed goal or idea or role to play and has stifled it.
We begin to see beneath the surface as the sons begin to rebel however slightly and then take action for themselves despite the parent's opposition.
Each of the four characters reach a crisis point. Which liberates them.
This is a fine film. The ensemble acting of the family members is beautiful to watch. Kurosawa has a deft hand with the camera. It is unobtrusive but all seeing.
Somewhere in the final third, the film runs off the track that it seemed to be on. There are somewhat wild happenings which almost challenge our credibility but Kurosawa keeps control and we get through the chaos to the other side.
The final scenes are beautiful. Peaceful.
The whole is like a sonata.
A two theme piece which intertwines the musical, or dramatic, ideas and comes out with the sum greater than the parts.
I enjoyed this film. The time flew.
I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5 with a promise to look for Kurosawa's next film when it comes out.
Labels: films
