Cottontail

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. It got a pretty high rating but that was from a relatively low number of raters. I'm always suspicious when that occurs. However, this was a pleasant surprise.

It's a very slow movie, or nuanced, as they say in the business. Some might find this boring, but you just have to stick with it.

As described, it's about a Japanese gentleman whose wife has recently died. She leaves instructions that she wants her ashes scattered in Lake Windemerre, in England. So he travels there with his son and daughter-in-law and his grandchild.

Along the way, there's a fair amount of tension, seething under the surface. Slowly, the father and son come to terms with their relationship

I only have one minor complaint about the film. I watched it on Hoopla which listed it as English language. False. It's 99% Japanese with a few times English is spoken. I guess it's more of a beef with Hoopla than the filmmakers.

Overall, it's a beautiful crafted film, fans of indie flicks will surely enjoy. .

Excellent direction by Patrick Dickinson and perfectly acted by all concerned.. The cast and characters have been well selected and the transformation from the flashback earlier depicted young couple to them as an older couple is visually fully believable... A gentle and emotive study of the human condition and because of the gentle pace of the dialogue, the necessary use of sub titles did not detract at all and the Japanese language was interspersed with periods of English language anyhow. A thoughtful movie well worth the time taken to watch. I note that Dickinson has directed mainly 'TV series'. I hope he turns his hand to more full time movies.

In Tokyo, Kenzaburo is struggling after his wife suffered through dementia and died. Her last wish is for the family to scatter her ashes at Lake Windermere, the home of Beatrix Potter where she wrote the stories of Peter Rabbit. Her mother had read her the stories, but she was never able to get her family to go there. Kenzaburo and his estranged son Toshi with his young family travel to England.

This is a nice little touching family drama from Japan with Ciarán Hinds and his real-life daughter popping up for the middle part. When the Hinds show up, I thought maybe they would stay for a road movie. The last act does pack quite a powerful punch especially in the flashbacks. The middle part does stick out a little and Kenzaburo's rush gets a bit annoying. All in all, this holds together in an emotional punch.

This movie came out of the blue, I was totally unaware of it. The only hook for me was Ciarán Hinds, my being Irish. I actually only became aware of it today 25/09/24, whcih is a shame.

I downloaded it and watched it the same night, what a wonder to behold.

I do not know the Japanese actors as I seldom watch Japanese movies. As mentioned before Ciarán was the hook, I've yet to see him in something bad. Brilliant hook.

Within 5 minutes I was engrossed, even though I had to use subtitles. The pacing of the scenes and the dialogue, gives the viewer the chance to garner what is being said, without taking away from the actual scene, as most modern movies do. That's the tech out of the way.

This movie stirs emotions that even a stone could feel. I figured out the probable diagnosis was. I should say, I'm only half way through the movie, and I know I'll be there at the end.

The love between the two main actors is experctly portrayed by both sets of actors, young and old. The director should be applauded for their sensitive direction. It could have been mushy, it wasn't, it was just right.

I'm looking forward to the ending, even though I surmise what it might be. I could be surprised, and is that a bad thing?

It's so beautiful seeing these faces emoting up-close. And what gorgeous actors. It's a refreshing departure from the detached style of Japanese film-making. Not all directors, but most directors. It's always a pet-peeve of mine with Japanese movies.

I loved the transition to the young Akiko and Kenzaburo. Let's face it, Akiko made everything happen for him. I don't know what she saw in him but at least he was besotted with her and devoted to her till the very end. Maybe because she was taken with all things English and he was an English teacher. She certainly idealized him. He was a terrible father and that's made abundantly clear. We get that moment of reconciliation and hope at the very end, which is maybe a little forced but somehow executed very naturally. I teared up a few times along the way.

And interestingly enough, Ciaran Hinds guest stars with his own daughter. And the resemblance is quite obvious.

Very interesting script and choice of subject matter from a British writer/director.