My favorite film for the past twelve months. Incredibly engaging performances by the modest lead Hiroyake Sanada, his (in the film) lifelong friend and romantic interest, Rie Miyazawa, his children and the supporting cast. This movie defied all the stereotypes of "samurai" films, portraying the gritty day to day details of staying alive during the tumultuous years composing the decline of Japanese feudalism while explaining the overriding cultural tradition of filial piety and duty engendered by their class ridden society.
Only two sword fights, made all the more powerful by their realism and restraint. As a former student of martial arts my adrenaline was really flowing during the scene where H. Sanada warms up in preparation for his first sword fight in many years. That scene's verisimilitude was quite genuine and powerful in it's depiction of his sudden reversion from being a struggling farmer to the samurai he'd previously been.
I could go on at length, but the previous comments by others quite succinctly captured the essence of the film.
However, I feel compelled to address the spirited portrayal by R. Miyazawa of a pre-feminist woman. Her independence and bravery in repeatedly breaking free of societal strictures was a good foil for H. Sanada's similar behavior. This making all the more poignant their ultimate submission to forces beyond their control.
By the film's end which, thankfully, defied my expectations, I was weeping due to my over-identification with the protagonists. The only discordant note of the whole film was the horrid "kareoke" song played over the final credits.
I'll admit that I'm prone to perhaps be overly taken in by truly three dimensional characters who experience the expected joy and tribulations of life... All I can say is, "Tom Cruise, go suck an egg."
Only two sword fights, made all the more powerful by their realism and restraint. As a former student of martial arts my adrenaline was really flowing during the scene where H. Sanada warms up in preparation for his first sword fight in many years. That scene's verisimilitude was quite genuine and powerful in it's depiction of his sudden reversion from being a struggling farmer to the samurai he'd previously been.
I could go on at length, but the previous comments by others quite succinctly captured the essence of the film.
However, I feel compelled to address the spirited portrayal by R. Miyazawa of a pre-feminist woman. Her independence and bravery in repeatedly breaking free of societal strictures was a good foil for H. Sanada's similar behavior. This making all the more poignant their ultimate submission to forces beyond their control.
By the film's end which, thankfully, defied my expectations, I was weeping due to my over-identification with the protagonists. The only discordant note of the whole film was the horrid "kareoke" song played over the final credits.
I'll admit that I'm prone to perhaps be overly taken in by truly three dimensional characters who experience the expected joy and tribulations of life... All I can say is, "Tom Cruise, go suck an egg."