Voyage avec Haru

Another nip study of old age and one of their best.

Nakadai, first seen angrily rejecting the help of his teenage grand daughter, sets off from their local rail station to see if any of his siblings will make him a home. At each meeting, more of the family back story is added in. The pair end as endearing, rounded characters and this one gives a more detailed picture of Japanese society than you'll find in most productions. The films of Ozu are creaky by comparison.

Excellent, unobtrusive craftsmanship tells the story mainly in close two shots, which throws the emphasis on the the performers.They are more than equal to the challenge.

And this is the star who used to lose his big sword fights to Mifune!

A movie like this is going to sink or swim based on the performances, as the story and presentation are very simple. It's a family drama with the two main characters drifting between various members of their family as they both look for a place to belong.

Veteran actor Tatsuya Nakadai and newcomer Eri Tokunaga are both great, and I found the physicality of Nakadai's performance particularly impressive- he became well known for physically demanding roles in samurai and war films in the 50s/60s, and at nearly 80 years old here, he still throws his entire body and being into the role.

There are lots of static long takes, often from a distance, and that gives the impression of watching a stage play at points. It is technically a road movie of sorts, but the bulk of the film is concerned with the places they settle for short periods more than the time spent on the road travelling.

It's a quiet and touching film, though it does move slowly and does feel a bit long at 134 minutes. I still think it's worth watching for the compelling characters, the solid visuals and music, and especially the acting, especially those two lead performances.