Review of Ikiru (1952) by Patrick B — 24 Mar 2009

An absolutely amazing movie. visually spectacular, brilliantly written, and beautifully acted. by far my absolute favorite Kurosawa film and definitely one of my favorite films of all time. this movie shows the analyzation of the life of a man who has worked for what he has but that's all he ever did do, work.

the viewer is thrown right into this mans life, through boredom, elation, despair, and ultimately self-realization. while the movie is a stark and beautiful depiction of life, it is also a huge slam on the entangled bureaucratic system, whether it be the post-war japanese bureaucracy or a modern day one, it never changes.

despite whether one can directly connect to Takashi's protagonist, he is an absolutely relatable character through the entirety of his journey (which we all go through at some point, just over the course of our entire lives).

he tries to face his mortality in arguably the simplest way, accepting it, living, and enjoying life itself. he is also an extremely sympathetic character. case and point, I was brought to tears when Watanabe is singing in the club during his night on the town with the writer.

I didn't even realize it had happened until the scene had already changed. while I can't speak for everyone, this movie truly just crept right into my heart.