omalley-brendan

Gentle, poignant, moving, Ozu sticks to his customary style and develops the usual themes of the challenges life decisions, (marriage, attitudes of children to their parents, getting old) and how they affect a contemporary Japanese family. These are universal themes however and have resonance throughout time and across the continents. By the second half of this film you will wonder how you managed to become so absorbed in a story which seemed positively pedestrian in the first scenes. This is the genius of Ozu.

This is beautiful to look at, the director's legendary obsession with detail and the position of objects once again brings us interiors which are each a work of art, inter-cut with beautiful exterior landscapes and accompanied by some of the most soothing violin music you will ever hear, this is a real gem.

The performance of Jérémie Renier is memorable. (He's also great in L'infant). The Dardennes are obviously influenced by Robert Bresson and have a similar interest in use of realistic sound, and observation of everyday tasks. They especially like workshops, and woodworking tools. Like Bresson, they eschew incidental music and produce a very naturalistic view of events. And they do it so well. This film will remain in your conscience for a long time after you have seen it, and should satisfy those who need a resolution and a conclusion in their movies, by offering at least an answer to one "will he - won't he?" dilemma.

These guys are making some of the best cinema of the present era.