Review of Ikiru (1952) by Paul P — 17 Dec 2011
Ikiru will put your soul through absolute hell. Shimura perfectly embodies the character of Kanji Watanabe. Some of his reaction shots are so unbelievably heartbreaking. The story alone is very sad but Kurosawa handles the material with such care.
From the opening shot to the closing shot(which is one of the greatest in film) you want Watanabe to be okay. I found myself relating to him. I understood how his life became a routine in a routine and before he knew it was almost over.
The ending isn't as uplifting as you would hope for this character but it's still very moving and very powerful.
This review of Ikiru (1952) was written by Paul P on 17 Dec 2011.
Ikiru has generally received very positive reviews.
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