Audience Member
I was looking for something warming. And this does so much. Apart from the love in it, also the depiction of a current large Asian family is realistic to the words and gestures. Tokyo Family reminds me of deeper values and the grandma sets such a beautiful way of living for me. I am thankful for this movie.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
In short: Family relationships under a microscope when an elderly couple visits their three grown children in big city Tokyo
I saw this film at the Berlinale 2013 film festival. It is an "update" on the famous original Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953), but I learned that only afterwards. I did not see the original version before this one, so I cannot compare.
An elderly couple who have lived in a remote village for many years already, bring a visit to their three grown children in the big city of Tokyo. The first half hour shows a lot of chit-chat between family members without really communicating with each other. It may be normal on such an occasion, when family members have no real common topics apart from ancient memories. Yet it leaves on me a depressing view on family relationships. I would not be surprised when this afterthought is deliberate, and as such intended by the film makers.
The older son (doctor) is very occupied with his patients, and the daughter (beauty parlor) is very busy with her daily tasks. And the younger son who is not taken very seriously by the other family members, has decided to live his own life and moved out. Older son and daughter conspire to move the elderly couple from place to place, making their parents feeling lonely and deserted. Later on the parents are even shifted to a hotel, and a lot of arguments pass by why this is only for their own good (we know better than that).
The story becomes interesting when mother and father follow a different route during one night. The mother meets the girl friend of the younger son, and there is an immediate "click". She even entrusts the girl friend with her savings, to use in case of an emergency, rather than giving it to her son, because the mother knows about his impulsive buying pattern. The father drinks too much in a bar, and arrives in the morning in a grumpy state. But (!) he immediately sees that his wife returned in a happy mood from whatever she did that night. What the latter was precisely, he would never know due to her sudden heart failure later that day.
Sitting and waiting in the hospital brings the whole family together physically (but still not mentally), until the dreaded moment that the mother is declared dead. Eventually they all travel to the village where father and mother used to live, to attend the funeral rites. Of course, the older brother and sister cannot wait to return to their duties after the funeral, and only the younger son and his girl friend stay for a few extra days. When they are about to leave, we see a crucial scene when the father and the girl friend have a real talk together. Suddenly, we see the father figure in a very different light, before that time always seeming a father-knows-best figure, but after that scene we stand corrected.
All in all, this microscopic study on family relationships proved very interesting, visualized very well, thereby portraying each family member in his/her own merits. There is no ending to spoil, and there is no real plot either. It is something that should be watched as it passes by on the screen. The actors perform very well in their respective roles, perfectly outlining each ones good and bad features. There are no bad guys in this movie, however, each pulls his weight in the busy ways of living and coping nowadays.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Respectful update of Ozu's seminal movie "Tokyo Story".
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/16/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Um casal idoso que mora em um vilarejo no Japão decide tomar um trem e visitar os filhos adultos em Tóquio. Chegando no local, eles descobrem que os filhos levam vidas muito ocupadas e diferentes das suas, e que não têm tempo para dedicar aos seus pais. Apenas uma morte trágica reunirá todos, permitindo que conversem e descubram porque se afastaram tanto uns dos outros.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A reboot of TOKYO STORY (1953) with so many updated elements, including characters & narrative. A bit melodramatic although still works.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The emotions are nicely handled, but does it really have to be this long? It makes me want to watch the original.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/10/23
Full Review
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