In this film Ozu revisits again themes involving kids, but this time in a way more notorious modern Japan and the changes it has brought in society.
It all starts as a usual day; the members of a family prepare themselves to confront their problems, dreams and realities. The father, with his ups and downs at work, and having to attend to his children's demands and give them proper education, prepares himself for a new day. His wife, worried about complications that domestic life brings, and about how to save and handle money properly, is as well one of the family members attempting to live quietly and happily in an otherwise rather boring community. The main characters (the kids), which are obsessed with having a television (back then it was an innovative device), agree to remain silent until their parents indulge their caprice.
One aspect that I liked in this film was the misinterpretation of the kids' silence by one of the neighbors; the woman, who lives in the community, thought their gesture meant their mother was angry at her and other neighbors for having had the idea of her keeping the rent payments for herself. This leads everybody to think of her as a resentful woman, and they decide to return the favors she had once done for them, so that they wouldn't be owing her anymore favors. This is relevant even to today's standards; people often misjudge you by the slightest gesture, even though you didn't intend to be interpreted that way.
Other amusing aspect to point out would be the constant farting; there appears to be an ability to produce farts by swallowing some powder whose name I don't remember as of now. The kids keep on doing it throughout the whole film.
This is one of the easiest films to digest in Ozu's filmography, which means that this is an excellent option for people unfamiliar with this magnificent director. I for one consider this film one of his best efforts and it obviously ranks up there in the top of my personal favorite Japanese films.
My score: 9.3/10
It all starts as a usual day; the members of a family prepare themselves to confront their problems, dreams and realities. The father, with his ups and downs at work, and having to attend to his children's demands and give them proper education, prepares himself for a new day. His wife, worried about complications that domestic life brings, and about how to save and handle money properly, is as well one of the family members attempting to live quietly and happily in an otherwise rather boring community. The main characters (the kids), which are obsessed with having a television (back then it was an innovative device), agree to remain silent until their parents indulge their caprice.
One aspect that I liked in this film was the misinterpretation of the kids' silence by one of the neighbors; the woman, who lives in the community, thought their gesture meant their mother was angry at her and other neighbors for having had the idea of her keeping the rent payments for herself. This leads everybody to think of her as a resentful woman, and they decide to return the favors she had once done for them, so that they wouldn't be owing her anymore favors. This is relevant even to today's standards; people often misjudge you by the slightest gesture, even though you didn't intend to be interpreted that way.
Other amusing aspect to point out would be the constant farting; there appears to be an ability to produce farts by swallowing some powder whose name I don't remember as of now. The kids keep on doing it throughout the whole film.
This is one of the easiest films to digest in Ozu's filmography, which means that this is an excellent option for people unfamiliar with this magnificent director. I for one consider this film one of his best efforts and it obviously ranks up there in the top of my personal favorite Japanese films.
My score: 9.3/10