Après la pluie

About Japanese director Koizumi Takashi, it can be said that his life has come to a complete standstill on two different occasions. Firstly, there was absolute shock for him in store when his mentor, Akira Kurosawa died after having written the screenplay of "After the Rain". It was therefore a tough challenge for Koizumi to direct the film exactly in the same manner as Kurosawa Sensei had wished. Secondly, the quiet manner in which his film flows makes all viewers wonder about the complete lack of movement in his film. It is as if stillness pervades the entire film even in those scenes where there is drama and violence. As a film, After the rain is a highly philosophical tale about a samurai who finds his true worth when he becomes a key witness to some of life's harshest hardships. Despite tackling a tough subject, it remains a highly accessible film due to its focus on entertainment and humor.As a minor theme, Koizumi Takashi deftly explores the importance of a woman who is absolutely dependent on her husband for her survival. There is no sign of weakness in the feminine gaze as the female protagonist has been shown as a worthy partner of a man in distress. If acting is something which might interest enthusiastic viewers then they must give due respect to brilliant acting performances by Japanese actors Terao Akira and Miyazaki Yoshiko who are impressive in their roles as Monsieur Le Samurai and Madame La Samurai.

In this movie set on the rainy season in fudal Japan, A ronin and his wife reach a poor hotel and interact with the guests and the local lord. The character of the ronin is unique. He has fought for money and thus taints himself in the eyes of the local samurai but his heart and care for the people along with his mastery of budo, wins over the lord who is a unique character in his own right. This is not a masterpiece of filming but the characters stay with you and it is a needed diversion from the gruff men we usually meet with the elder Corosowa.

The only way I can describe this movie is Sweet.

It is such a lovely movie in its simplicity. There are no evil schemes and plots. No subplots within subplots with twist and suspense building. No massive production with a cast of thousands. No nasty characters that you hate. It is just a sweet simple story telling about an unemployed man (ronin) and his wife.

This movie made me smile as especially the wives. The wife of the Samurai, Tayo, is incredibly sweet. Same with the wife of the lord. Both play the "character" of the Asian wife...quietly supportive while leading the man to understanding with words of wisdom.

Great minimalistic acting. A Samurai Feel Good movie.

Kurosawa was very interested in stories about older men facing their destiny. Most of his films from Kagemusha and on deal with this in some way. Ame Agaru is another story that deals with the topic.

Almost like a play at times, Ame Agaru takes it's time and is all the better for it. There are some excellent sword fights and formal duels in the film but they are not the focus of the film. There's a bit of time depicting the main character silently practicing his sword work in the woods that might bore a number of viewers.

Is this a Kurosawa film? Yes, in that I could easily see him directing this story. There are a number of similarities to his last film, Madadayo. No, in that the direction here is sort of mundane. Kurosawa's distinctive eye is missing. There's a TV movie quality that's sort of unusual for a film like this. However, the actors and the story really do carry this film over and while it's not a masterpiece, it's not a waste of time either if you know what you are getting into.

A samurai and his wife search to find happiness with themselves, their relationship, and their station as they weather the disillusion of their past and current circumstances.

Written by Akira Kurosawa and directed by Takashi Koizumi after Kurosawa's death. This is a breathtaking reflection of Kurosawa's early and later storytelling sensabilities. But it is a very complex film, one that upon initial viewing may defy the viewers expectations of the samurai genre and seem simplistic, overly long, or as one reviewer described: unexciting.

This film reminds me very much of Red Beard, another Kurosawa story that while set in feudal Japan is not necessarily a samurai film.

Rating 9/10