This review may contain spoilers
What is a lived life?
It is quite apparent the movie was adapted from a novel, and a well-known novel at that, given the simplicity of the plot.A story about one man’s principles and work ethic, his regrets and how his choices in life impacted on those dearest and nearest to him. A small, quiet, intimate and beautifully made film with subtle layers to its themes. That said, it was also very straightforward, as befitting a story with such subject matters.
The ending, as it was, did not come as a surprise as much as it was expected.
A movie you watch for the questions it brings to the table about what constitutes a life, that ever constant fact of life, change, and the struggles therein. There is no doubt why the novel it was based on was a modern classic. The themes touched on showed that clearly.
The film was not attempting to wow, and did not have any pretensions to such, and in that, I appreciated its honesty, just like the themes it wanted to convey to the audience. Simple yet thought provoking, and crucially, an emotional experience.
I would say this is a good film for its genre, if nothing remarkable. Worth a watch for an understanding of one aspect of the human condition. One with a Japanese flavour, poignant and evocative.
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