Review of Tokyo Sonata (2008) by Alyssa N — 19 Jul 2009

This is a captivating and moving family drama about one of the more dysfunctional families I've seen. The premise of a man losing his job and pretending he still has it out of pride is the perfect set-up for not only a compelling story but a critique of Japanese society as well.

Much of it is subtle and slow-moving, with some comedic moments thrown in, but we can always feel the tension and it's only a matter of time before suppressed emotions boil over into some of the most intense and poignant scenes of the film.

Although the plot was much more coherent than Bright Future, the only other film I've seen by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, it was somehow less haunting and visually powerful than the latter. I think if that ethereal quality could be combined with a story like this one, it would create a near-perfect film.