Sweet Bean

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Sam N Sweet Bean is lovely, gentle, pretty, and quietly acted, but I just wasn’t pulled in. It sort of drifts along, never quite gripping me or making me care much. I don’t regret watching it, but it left me feeling flat. It’s fine, it’s okay. Just very, very okay. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/21/25 Full Review Ola G Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase) is a middle-aged man who runs a small dorayaki shop in the outskirts of Tokyo. The shop is frequented by locals and secondary-school pupils alike. When he puts up a notice saying that he is looking for a co-worker, he is approached by Tokue (Kirin Kiki), a lady in her mid-seventies, who states that she has always wanted to work in a dorayaki shop. Sentaro initially rejects her application, afraid that the work would prove too much for the old lady who, moreover, has somewhat deformed hands. However, he is swayed when he tries Tokue's bean paste; its taste and texture are far superior to that of the factory-made bean paste Sentaro has been using. Sentaro asks Tokue to start making bean paste with him, revealing that up until now, he did not actually like his own product. Business begins to thrive, and very soon Tokue also starts serving customers and packaging dorayaki. However, when customers realize that the deformities to Tokue's hand were caused by leprosy, they stop coming, and Sentaro is forced to let her go. Wakana (Kyara Uchida), a school girl whom Sentaro has befriended, eventually suggests that they go and visit Tokue at the sanatorium where she and other patients were forced to stay until the 1996 repeal of the 1953 Leprosy Prevention Law. Sentaro feels guilty that he was not able to protect Tokue against the prejudice of their customers, but she assures him that she is grateful for the time she was allowed to spend at the shop... The film was a "Critic's Pick" by The New York Times, with the Times' Glenn Kenny scoring it at 90 out of 100, writing that "The movie, beautifully shot and acted, earns its ultimate sense of hope by confronting real heartbreak head-on, and with compassion". The Guardian‘s film critic Peter Bradshaw scored the film at 2 out of 5 stars, writing that "Despite some touching moments, and earnest performances, I must confess to feeling exasperated by the sentimentality and stereotype being served up". The film earned actress Kirin Kiki the Best Performance by an Actress award at the 2015 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.(via Wikipedia) This film truly moved me in so many ways I haven´t been moved for a long time by a film. I was not expecting that this film would move me so much and it came from nowhere. It´s a beautiful and tragic film about struggle, freedom, sadness, happiness, joy, friendship and the will to live and be seen for who you are. As Deborah Young writes, "The undercurrent that runs through the film is a message to learn from nature and enjoy the wonder of life moment by moment, no matter what hard knocks you're dealt". As Tokue stresses in the film that a person's worth lies not in their career, but simply in their being, and also that joy comes from taking in the sensory experiences of the world that surrounds us. Kirin Kiki is simply fantastic as Tokue (rest in peace) and the same goes for Masatoshi Nagase as Sentaro. I saw my Mom somehow in Tokue (both in her character and what she experienced in real life) and it really made me extremely emotional. I simply cried during the second half of the film and I couldn´t stop. I miss my Mom as much as Sentaro and Wakana miss Tokue when she has passed. "Sweet Bean" is fine piece of film to me and I warmly recommend it. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/13/23 Full Review William D It's slow paced but still charming. Kirin Kiki is terrific, she portrays the ideal grandmother figure. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/03/23 Full Review Will G. F The book may be better, but this is still sweet. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/12/23 Full Review isla s I really liked this film. I believe its based on a short story I've actually read a year or two back, although when I first came across it, I hadn't realised that but I recognised aspects of the plot. Its very meditative in tone and I admit watching the bean paste and doarayaki's be prepared, I did feel rather hungry! it looked and sounded lovely, much as I suppose I pictured when reading the book. Its a slow paced film but its all the better for it, in my opnion. Its quite thoughtful and it (if partially) covers the theme of prejudice - prejudice and assumptions, as well as opening up and perhaps forgiveness. I'd say this is an example of a piece of slow TV of sorts, with (of course) a culinary/baking theme, although there is a fair bit of dialogue but its not at all hard going to watch. I also enjoyed the light, tinkly music played in the background of some scenes. There are also some lovely instances of cinematography, with sound pretty surroundings shown. I liked looking at the cherry blossom, which (of course) Japan is famous for. The characters are mostly good people and I really appreciated that. Its reflective, touching and thought provoking. If it makes you think of older generations and question things then thats a great thing. I realise it may be a little slow for some but I personally loved it and so I would happily recommend it to others, particularly those who are keen on world cinema, Japanese world cinema (non-martial arts related, of course) and to those who have enjoyed the book its based on. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Amazing performances packed in a great movie with some touchy moments. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Sweet Bean

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