Tokyo Sonata (2008)
Social commentary is music to my ears.
Presentation:
A timely film for 2008, this film is about how a family begins to fall apart after the father loses his job from downsizing. Basically the serious drama version of Park Chan Wook’s No Other Choice. Though this may not be as exciting as the flashier, cinematic satire, the drama is more effective as a result of the cold realism. It almost feels like a Koreeda film, but it’s Kiyoshi Kurosawa. I was disappointed in the piano piece they chose, which was cliché and has already been used in far too many films. But if you haven’t watched that many movies, then this may be one of the most relatable and poignant unemployment films.
Conclusion:
This would be a good film for anyone else, but it comes from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the master of Japanese horror! It looks and feels nothing like Cure, and I get he’s trying to do something different but it ends up feeling bland if you are a fan of his other work. It’s a little unfair to box directors into perpetually making the same kind of movie that audiences love, but there’s no one else that can make that kind of horror so I was disappointed. If you are a fan of Kurosawa and are watching this film solely because he’s the director, be warned this is not his spicy filmmaking we’re used to. I just hope his next film samurai film doesn’t return to this style of drama because that one scene with the envelope was complete bullshit.
Recommendations
Social commentary is music to my ears.