Tras la tormenta

I bet we all can find the shadow of the underachieved protagonist in ourselves, as chances are really slim in materializing one's aspirations in the cruel reality. There he is: down-and-out both in career and mariage, scraping by through blackmailing strangers, yet always managing to squeeze a complacent smile on his face when meeting his family. You would presume he is leading a hopeless, listless, even miserable life, but the means by which the Japanese director narrates the story also attached a rather warm hue to the banal life of the man. In the end, what do we know about life without living it through ourselves?

Most films these days do not have something to 'say' anymore. They don't have a deeper meaning. And if they do, it's mostly superficial or so complex you don't really understand. 'After the Storm' by Hirokuzu Kore-eda has something to say, it's like a condensed moment of life. You will be dumbstruck by it's beauty.

The story deals with Ryota, struggling with financial problems, and trying to keep contact with his son after divorcement. He works as a private detective, spying on affairs and looking for lost cats while his real passion lies in writing literature.

The entire film is built around a central story part where they take shelter from a taifun, it involves scenes of such profound beauty, you will be moved to tears. The beauty lies in the things that are not spoken out, yet linger in the air like rain: the missed opportunities to be happy, love gone by and yet - still there.

To say the film deals with abandoned dreams in the face of reality is wrong, it's the contrary. The film says: If you keep waiting for beauty in life, you will not realize that it has already arrived. Just not the way you thought it would.

Such a gentle, sad film. It's a story of letting a good life slip away not through a single bad decision, but by a succession of small ones, something we learn about a guy (Hiroshi Abe) only gradually. He's quite a deadbeat, gambling away money when he gets his hands on it, not paying his child support or rent, and stealing things from his widowed mother (Kirin Kiki) to take to the pawn shop. He's a hard guy to like or sympathize with, and a disappointment to everyone around him, most touchingly his ex-wife (Yoko Maki) and son.

Kore-eda wisely doesn't turn the film into a melodrama by trying to explain everything that's happened in these people's lives, but we can connect some of the dots with what he shows us. I wondered if the main character had known that his father was secretly proud of the book he had written, whether that would have made a difference in how he turned out. Maybe that's one of the saddest things, being aware of failure but seemingly unable (or unwilling) to take control and start taking positive steps again.

Kiki is wonderful in her part, shining especially in a flash of emotion where she wonders how things could have ended up this way. The moment where his son innocently asks him "are you who you wanted to be?" hits pretty hard too. And yet, none of them demonize him, and I'm pretty sure I judged him more than they did, even if his ex-wife stood up to all his BS pretty well. That's part of Kore-eda's magic, to be so incredibly gentle and accepting despite dealing with dark subjects. He also doesn't offer any excuses or a flimsy feel-good resolution. We can decide for ourselves what will happen with these characters, much as we have control over at least some of the decisions in our lives.

Remarkable consistency in delivering great dramas. If you are a drama film fan without the language barrier, then you must have seen at least a couple of films of Hirokazu Koreeda. Less than a year ago I saw his new arrival 'Our Little Sister'. Despite not overwhelmingly impressed with that, I won't say that I did not enjoy it. I always fascinated with the realistic portrayal, but the points should be executed so well than leaving empty scenes and dialogues, and calling it an art film. This one was much better. The first impression was okay, but after giving some time between my watch and writing this review, I kind of started to like it more.

First of all, this story was not new for me. I have already seen a few similar themed films from other parts of the world, particularly in Hollywood. But none of them were as serious as this one while narrating its tale. The storyline was simple, entirely focused on a family, fighting on stumbling marriage. It was a long introduction, particularly aimed at a father, like how he messed up in his life with gambling. But opening few minutes made him look like a man of example. Only in the following event you would know how deep his troubles are.

Other than his family, his work field was introduced to us. Being a writer, but for a few quick bucks working as a private eye on his part time, he misuses the opportunity with his loyal friend. Once the film reaches the half way mark, the focus shifts back to the family where the remaining story takes place. It was a stormy day and they all gather in his mother's apartment. This is where everything will be cleared out, whether the marriage will be saved or not. But the mother's one final push as it seems planned perfectly, would it deliver a result is what you should watch it to learn.

❝I wonder why it is that men can't love the present. Either they just keep chasing whatever it is they've lost, or they keep dreaming beyond their reach.❞

You can't doubt Hiroshi Abe's presence. He was perfect along with Kirin Kiki, whose a few films I've seen before, but only started to notice recently with her amazing performance from 'Sweet Bean'. The casting looked great, and the locations. I always like films about elderly people, especially to highlight their struggle. And most of the Japanese films I have seen on that concept were just like the way I wanted. Maybe because there are lots of aging people in Japan than anywhere else. Just kidding.

Obviously dialogues are very important for a film and there were many good lines spoken. At one point in the final stage, it flips towards sentiments. Very touching conversation, particularly coming from an old and experienced woman, which is definitely worth taking heed. This is a family film. Despite about a marriage crisis, there is no speculation, like twist and turns. Interesting enough with its plain narration. True to its title and when the title part comes into play, that's where it gets its peak. With its nearly two hours runtime, the pace was acceptable, but patience needed for those got trouble with long films.

This is the film about our life, that we can try for what we want to be, but achieving it not easy, not everybody would succeed that. Accepting the fact, as life my go on was the message. Incredible writing and direction. Feels like straight out of a book, it's an original screenplay though. Surely you don't want to miss this film, from this director. Because if you do, it is equal to failing to watch the latest Woody Allen film. Only he's a Japanese version. My final words are the director already made his masterpiece(s), but still it is near to one compared to the international cinemas. So I'm not saying it is a must, but surely worth a try.

7½/10

Kore-eda is a renowned Japanese director for personable family dramas. His work in 'Still Walking' and 'Like Father, Like Son' (although yet to see) prove he is a capable writer when dealing with common family experiences. Marital woes, grief, father and son relationships. The list goes on. This being my first Kore-eda experience, I was unsure which angle to approach this blistering drama with. Regardless, no matter how I set my mind, it was an evocative and multi-layered drama with a masterful level of maturity. A novelist turned private detective, who is struggling for money due to a gambling addiction, coincidentally finds himself stuck at his mother's house overnight when a typhoon hits Japan. At the time the storm hits, his ex-wife and son are also there and spend the night within this claustrophobic environment.

Metaphorically speaking, the typhoon is a vivid representation of the estranged behaviour from both Ryota and Kyoko. Their differences splitting the family apart with such velocity. Yet, there is no hatred. No malice. And that is what I adore about Kore-eda's approach, it doesn't conform to typical clichés. He treats the audience like adults and executes a realistic family drama without needing any overly dramatic plots. Just two characters talking, with personable dialogue that has a surprising amount of wit, attempting to reconcile their differences for the betterment of themselves and their son. The storm acts as plot device for Ryota, allowing him to use the natural disaster to bond with his son. Then, once it subsides, life continues. A profound statement for most families.

Kore-eda explores various areas of urban Japanese culture, especially gambling and poverty, that enables this drama to be multi-layered. But what really cemented his masterful screenplay was just how it personal it was to him. Immediately the characters are bursting with dimensionality, enabling us to invest the time into their stories. Whilst also dealing with the scope of life, by indicating that "grown-ups cannot live only with love". A fascinating character study of a man who's personal ambitions get in the way of living life now. Though the narrative structure is not as fluid as the rain pummelling down from the storm, due to the abrupt transition between the first half before the storm and the second half, it still remains a rigid story.

This is helped by Abe's resourceful performance which was incredibly nuanced. Ryota is a complicated character, and Abe executed his complexions with ease. The late Kiki also gave a noteworthy performance as his mother, offering various lessons on life as she attempts to fix broken bonds within her family. Yamasaki's cinematography was gorgeous, cleanly enveloping you in Japan's natural and urban beauty. Kore-eda also frequently utilised long takes of unedited dialogue exchanges which subconsciously draws you into the drama.

Another small criticism would be the underutilisation of Kyoko's new boyfriend, whom of which could've been used more effectively to display her inner conflict for starting a new family or mending the existing bonds for the sake of her son. Small nitpicks here and there for what is a genuinely mature drama that felt both personal and personable, bolstered by sterling performances and a valuable screenplay. Am excited to see what Kore-eda has in store for us in the future. Oh, and bonus points for showcasing 'Taiko No Tatsujin' (I frickin' love that game...).