Still Walking
I read an article about how the film was about a dysfunctional family. So it is! You’d expect a “nice” slice of life story, a quiet get together in which characters are coping with their past and the loss of a beloved one, but this film was radiating so much hatred that I don’t really know if it really was about mourning at all.
In fact, I found it surprising how much hostility the characters managed to show behind their friendly exterior. Nothing ever happens in this film, and nobody ever gets into a real fight. They are just avoiding each other, bad-mouthing, complaining and outright lying to each other. In many respects, the messed up family made me think of French movies (in which the characters fight) or American comedies (which, unlike this film, are funny). I have absolutely no idea why all those reviews are talking about the family’s “love” – maybe movie critics are all idiots or blind or something. Where in the world IS the love in this movie?
Of course I understand that family stories are rarely happy ones, but this one seemed extraordinarily sad to me. The relationship between old and young people are indeed strongly reminiscent of Ozu (except in this film, the old ones are not just victims), but maybe that is precisely why I disliked this film? Ozu at least had a few great comedic dramas like Ukigusa, but with this and “Nobody Knows”, I don’t think I ever want to watch another Kore-Eda anymore. “Unfortunately” for these kinds of stories, I don’t have dysfunctional family, and if those stories don’t make me laugh, they need to make up for that with some sort of meaning. As far as it goes for me, these kinds of movies don’t even come close to the problems in my own family – so far as I exist. Finally I end up being bored.
Unlike “Nobody Knows”, this film has a few funny scenes, culminating in the scene which gives it the name “Aruitemo Aruitemo”. I thought that particular scene was quite a masterpiece and shows a little how great the film could have been – if I wasn’t so bored with it.
So, you will love the movie if you are into artful films full of quiet, well thought out shots and incredible subtlety – so subtle that I was bored even though I was able to pick it all up. On a scale of family melodrama, where 10 is the highest you can get, “Still Walking” is probably -50 and the ideal for my taste would probably be something like… 2? If you want to see a good modern Japanese film about modern Japanese life, “Departures” is the way to go.