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.

I stumbled upon this film by accident and I'm glad I did. The plot is simple, a master-less samurai and his wife are staying at an inn during a rain storm. Everyone is waiting for the rain to end and the river to go down so they can cross. The samurai is a gentle man who tries to help everyone pass the time much to his wife's chagrin. This is a sweet gentle film where nothing much happens and yet we get to know a bunch of very good people and learn a lesson about the value of kindness and honesty. A winner from start to finish.

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.

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.

A drama by Takashi Koizumi from a scenario written by "Akira Kurosawa" shortly before his death and made as a tribute to him, No where near as good as it would have been with Kurosawa behind it but fine nonetheless, especially the cinematography which was gorgeous. Any fan of Akira Kurosawa will want to see this. The mixture of calm cinematographic techniques and a few more dynamic elements is perfectly balanced. It was a roller-coaster of emotion, but still left me feeling happy despite some of the more dramatic events. It's the ultimate underdog story of tragedy, triumph, and even a few laughs and there are too many shots worth recalling, too many details worth recalling. If you want a peaceful and beautiful samurai film, do yourself and your immortal soul a favour; this movie is for you, would really recommend it, this one is a lesser known Japanese gem.