Il silenzio sul mare

This movie, directed by Takeshi Kitano, moves at a measured pace, one that allows the viewers to feel and relate to the situations slowly. On one level, it talks about a mute garbage collector's desire to become a surfer, yet it also deals with unspoken love, silence, and determination. One of the gentlest, most subtle movies I have seen. A simple expression, at times, is worth more than complex ones. Takeshi Kitano understands this.

Having recently seen and loved Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman, I became interested in seeing his other work. So I started with this movie, which had been praised to the sky.

Slow? Measured pacing? Grass grows faster. And why doesn't a contemporary Japanese deaf couple know sign language? This film's emotion is so subtle that white bread seems interesting.

I am a lover of foreign and independent films. But the high praise that this one has received has me stumped. It seems to me that the director has tried too hard to create something unusual.

Incredible from the get-go.

Oh, well, I'll keep trying. I shall now watch Kids Return.

Takeshi Kitano has made his reputation through a string of splendid Yakuza films, whose stylised violence is tempered with humour. All the more of a surprise, then, to come across this early Kitano in a totally different style. The storyline is minimal. A young deaf-mute garbage collector finds a broken surfboard, repairs it and becomes obsessed with surfing. His devoted girlfriend follows him - literally - everywhere, six paces behind him, dutifully folding up his discarded clothes while he is surfing.

Surely you can't make a film with so little action and no dialogue from the main characters! Kitano does, triumphantly. This is a heart-warming film, without being cloying. The relationship between the two central characters is drawn beautifully, using only their eyes and occasional smiles. They hardly ever even touch. But by the end of the film you feel that you know them and your heart goes out to them, in a film with touches of the great Japanese master Ozu. The music complements the film's moods superbly, and augments the atmospheric stillness that pervades this Japanese masterpiece. A must-see movie.

Deaf and introvert Shigeru works as a garbage man while his mind is at surfing. He has a very patient girlfriend by his side with which he communicates very little.

Compared to another surf movie say 'Point Break' there are no other similarities than the surf boards. In 'Ano Natsu ...' there is no action, nothing spectacular and no glorification; its a slice of life movie with its humour in the details. The pace is slow, at first it seemed boring, but you'll grow into it quickly and find it rewarding.

The 80s love scene style music by Joe Hisaishi was surprisingly tolerable, its understated anyway.

My favourite Kitano film so far together with 'Dolls'.

Really impressive! It might alienate those, who want constant action and dialog's but for those who like Kitano movies in general will also love this movie.

In each Kitano movie you can feel this quiet and meditative atmosphere; like in Dolls and Hanabi for example.

But i have to say that i am again quite astonished how different Kitano appears in television, as a comedy-punk, in contrast to his own directed and very contemplative movies.

Some adjectives might be able to describe my impression of this movie: quiet, meditative, sad .. and beautiful