(Played in the Un Certain Regarde Section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival)
Written, directed, and edited by Hirokazu Koreeda, After the Storm is the story of a failed writer turned private detective who tries to reconnect with his ex-wife and son as he copes with his own failures in life as well as impending typhoon. The film is a family drama in which a man tries get his life on track as well as deal with his own shortcomings. Starring Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, and Yoko Maki. After the Storm is a touching yet evocative film from Hirokazu Koreeda.
The film follows a former novelist who works as a private detective that is trying to get his life on track as he learns his ex-wife is dating another man as he also deals with an upcoming typhoon coming near the home of his mother. It’s a film that has a simple premise as it plays into a man who had a lot of promise after his first novel but has been unable to create another as he’s only achieved critical success. Working as a private detective for an agency, Ryota Shinoda (Hiroshi Abe) barely makes the money and whatever huge payday het gets. He would gamble it away as he’s often late to pay child support and is reluctant to ask his mother Yoshiko (Kirin Kiki) for money as he had already helped pay for his father’s funeral.
Hirokazu Koreeda’s screenplay follows Ryota dealing with the shortcomings as he doesn’t get to see his son Shingo (Taiyo Yoshizawa) often though he would see his baseball game from afar where he notices his ex-wife Kyoko (Yoko Maki) with a new boyfriend. Even as he suspects his sister Chinatsu (Satomi Kobayashi) of getting money from her mother for her daughter’s figure skating lessons as it would play into the despair he endures in his life. Upon a day with Shingo as he asks him about Kyoko’s new boyfriend, it would be a major day where everyone would deal with the typhoon that is to come as it would bring revelations for everyone in Ryota’s family circle.
Koreeda’s direction is simple in its minimalist approach as there’s very little movement in the camera other than a few tracking shots of the characters walking outside in a park or near an apartment. Instead, much of Koreeda’s direction emphasizes on simple static shots whether it’s in a wide shot, a medium shot, or a close-up if it’s needed on a certain object. The lack of movement in the cameras help play into the dramatic elements of the film as well as a few comedic moments such as Ryota’s work as a private detective with his young partner Kento Machida (Sosuke Ikematsu). Much of it showcase Ryota’s own flaws as a person as he would sneak in at one point to talk to Shingo at a bathroom restaurant where Kyoko is having dinner with her new boyfriend.
Also serving as the film’s editor, Koreeda maintains a style that is straightforward as it relates to the way the characters talk with one another with the film’s climax being at Yoshiko’s home where Ryota takes Shingo to meet his grandmother whom he’s fond of. When Kyoko arrives to pick up Shingo, Yoshiko suggests that Kyoko and Shingo should stay as it relates to this typhoon as there is that sense of danger over how intense the typhoon could be. It’s a moment where the family comes together and face this storm that could kill them or be something else. Overall, Koreeda crafts an intoxicating and rapturous film about a writer’s attempt to reconnect with his family and deal with his shortcomings in an impending typhoon.
Cinematographer Yutaka Yamasaki does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward to play into the look of the scenes at night including the climatic typhoon sequence as well as the naturalistic look for the scenes in the day. Art director Keiko Mitsumatsu and set decorator Akiko Matsuba do fantastic work with the look of Yoshiko’s apartment as well as the home that Ryota lives in. Costume designer Kazuko Kurosawa does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the ragged suits that Ryota wears in his job. The sound work of Yutaka Tsurumaki is terrific for its naturalistic approach to the sound in capturing some of the sparse elements of the locations the characters encounter. The film’s music by Hanaregumi is wonderful for its low-key score that is emphasized largely by somber piano music with some folk-pop songs as part of the film’s soundtrack.
The casting by Toshie Tabata is superb as it feature a few notable small roles from Lily Franky as a magma writer offering Ryota a chance to contribute to a magma series and Sosuke Ikematsu as Ryota’s young partner Kento Machida who provides some commentary into Ryota’s situation. Satomi Kobayashi is wonderful as Ryota’s sister Chinatsu as a woman who is more responsible than her brother as she knows him very well about his financial situation as she is trying to get her daughter’s figure skating career going. Taiyo Yoshizawa is fantastic as Shingo as Ryota’s son who copes with his mother’s new boyfriend whom he’s not really fond of as he knows he isn’t able to see his dad yet prefers him more than the new boyfriend.
Yoko Maki is excellent as Ryota’s ex-wife Kyoko as a woman trying to move on with a new boyfriend as she is also concerned about Shingo as well as ensuring he gets all of the things needed for a child. Kirin Kiki is brilliant as Ryota’s mother Yoshiko as a recently-widowed woman who is aware that she is going to die soon yet manages to find new hobbies and joy in her life as well as be concerned about Ryota’s own place in the world. Finally, there’s Hiroshi Abe in an amazing performance as Ryota Shinoda as a failed novelist turned private detective who copes with his own shortcomings and flaws as he tries to be a good father to his son as well as realize he’s still in love with his ex-wife where they all suddenly come together in this typhoon with his mother.
After the Storm is an incredible film from Hirokazu Koreeda. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a simple yet effective approach to storytelling, and enchanting music. It’s a touching film that play into a man trying to do things right despite his own flaws as he also knows how much he cares for his family. In the end, After the Storm is a remarkable film from Hirokazu Koreeda.
Hirokazu Koreeda Films: (Lessons from a Calf) - (However) - (August Without Him) - (This World) - (Without Memory) - Maborosi - (After Life) - (Distance) - Nobody Knows - (Hana) - Still Walking - (Air Doll) - (I Wish) - (Life Father, Like Son) – Our Little Sister - (The Third Murder) – (Shoplifters)
© thevoid99 2018
Written, directed, and edited by Hirokazu Koreeda, Still Walking is the story about a family coming together to commemorate the anniversary of the death of their eldest son as they all spend their time together. The film is an exploration into the world of family from young and old as they all revel in the small joys of life. Starring Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, and You. Still Walking is a touching yet exhilarating film from Hirokazu Koreeda.
A family gathering is always a chance for different generations of people to come together and enjoy each other’s company no matter how flawed they are. In this story, it is about a family coming together to commemorate the death of a loved one as they do every year. Yet, the circumstances are different as one of the family members in Ryota (Hiroshi Abe) arrives with a new wife and his young stepson as they’re about to meet his family for the first time. At the home where his parents live as his older sister also arrive with her husband and two kids to celebrate the passing of their brother Junpei. The family gather to eat and play around though Ryota still has issues with his father (Yoshio Harada) over Ryota’s chosen profession feeling that Ryota should’ve maintained the family business in being a doctor. Still, the family come together to eat and talk about all sorts of things all in the span of an entire day.
While the film doesn’t have much of a script, Hirokazu Koreeda maintains that idea of family as they all come together to talk and such while the kids help out their grandmother in preparing food for the day. Even as the conversations often talk about death, life, food, and the little things though the father is somewhat detached often making criticism over some things. Still, he participates in all of the family activities while they have a couple of visitors coming in including a young man who felt responsible over Junpei’s death. There are some revelations about some of these visits as well as other things in the family where it involves things like records and such. Even as certain ceremonies are performed in this particular day.
Koreeda’s direction is quite straightforward in the way he presents compositions by keeping the camera still yet he does manage to do a few things where the camera is moving. Notably in scenes that takes place outside of the house where Ryota and his family walk to the hill with his mother to visit Junpei’s gravestone as well as scenes where the children play outside. Koreeda maintains a lot of some simplistic yet effective compositions to capture the dynamic of family of how they conduct their activities and lives in a small, confined space such as their parents’ home. The shots are often intimate yet very lively despite the restrained tone of the performances that is also shown in the film‘s more elliptical yet low-key editing. Still, there’s a lot that Koreeda puts into these images that play out the idea of family who are devoted to one another including Ryota’s wife Yukari (Yui Natsukawa) and her son Atsushi (Shohei Tanaka) who find themselves becoming part of the family. Overall, Koreeda creates a very moving yet engrossing film about family.
Cinematographer Yutaka Yamasaki does brilliant work with the film‘s photography from the low-key yet intimate shots of many of the film‘s interior settings to the gorgeous look of the film‘s exterior setting to complement this mix of city life with nature. Art directors Toshihiro Isomi and Keiko Mitsumatsu do wonderful work with the look of the family home that is this mix of old-school Japanese home with a bit of a modern look as it includes some little details such as the decaying tiles in the bathtub that says a lot.
Costume designer Kazuko Kurosawa does terrific work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual for the younger characters while the older ones dress in more conservative clothing. The sound work of Yutaka Tsurumaki and Shuji Ohtake is superb for the intimacy that is captured in the home as well as the sounds of the beach and trees in some of the film‘s exterior setting. The music of Gontini is just a true delight as it’s a very simple and understated piece led by a plaintive acoustic guitar to play out the innocence while the film’s soundtrack includes a pop song by Ayumi Ishida called Blue Light Yokohama that reveals a mother’s youthfulness.
The film’s cast is just phenomenal as it features some noteworthy performances from Susumu Terajima as a sushi delivery man, Ryoga Hayashi and Hotaru Nomoto as Ryota’s nephew and nieces respectively, Kazua Takahashi as Ryota’s kind-hearted brother-in-law Nobuo, and Haruko Kato as a man who visit the family who blames himself for Junpei’s death. You is amazing as Ryota’s older sister Chinami who does a lot of the talking while being observant over what is happening in the family. Shohei Tanaka is wonderful as Ryota’s stepson Atsushi who finds himself as an outsider in this gathering yet starts to fit in with this new family while pondering about his own late father. Kirin Kiki is great as Ryota’s mother Toshiko as she is this eccentric yet loving woman who is so full of heart and joy as she is just a joy to watch.
Yoshio Harada is amazing as Ryota’s father Kyohei as he is this retired doctor who feels lost as a retired man while grumbling about the decisions Ryota made yet finds himself enjoying the company of Atsushi and Yukari. Yui Natsukawa is fantastic as Yukari who arrives to the family home as a newcomer as she finds herself intrigued by Toshiko’s kindness as well as some of the dysfunctions of Ryota’s family. Finally, there’s Hiroshi Abe in a remarkable performance as Ryota as this man who is a bit reluctant to attend this family gathering while he faces some of the issues he has with his father while finding moments where he finds a strong bond with his family.
Still Walking is an incredible film from Hirokazu Koreeda. With a great cast and beautiful location settings, it is truly one of the most poignant films to explore the dynamic of family as well as how a family comes to term with loss and hope for new beginnings. For fans of Koreeda, this film is definitely one of his most accessible as well as something that truly transcends all barriers in creating a film that is universal. In the end, Still Walking is a sensational film from Hirokazu Koreeda.
Hirokazu Koreeda Films: (Lessons from a Calf) - (However) - (August Without Him) - Maborosi - (This World) - (Without Memory) - (After Life) - (Distance) - Nobody Knows - (Hana) - (Air Doll) - (I Wish) - (Like Father, Like Son (2013 film)) - Our Little Sister - After the Storm - (The Third Murder) - (The Shoplifters)
© thevoid99 2013
