Review of Ikiru (1952) by Rick R — 30 Jun 2008

"Ikiru" (1952).

This is one of my favorite Akira Kurasawa directed (and written) movies. The word Ikiru means to live. It features Takashi Shimura as Kanji Watanabe, a mild-mannered bureaucrat. He is the protagonist, who has been living a lifeless 35 years of stamping papers and staying under the radar. He cleans off his stamp using torn-out pages of an old report, suggesting some changes to improve the department's efficiency. No doubt the report was completely denied and forgotten.

The movie shows the frustration that people experience trying to get anything done, being turned away from from one department to another. Nothing ever seems to get done. The bureaucrats are so frightened to lose their jobs, that they try hard not to rock the boat.

Kanji is widowed and has a Son and Daughter-in-law who lives with him, who seem to be waiting for him to die off. Then, one day Kanji finds out that he has stomach cancer and has anywhere from six months to a year to live.

At first he starts trying to live the rest of his life with wine, women, and song, but that doesn't seem to be very rewarding or satisfying. Kanji says that he feels like he's drowning and there's nothing to grab onto. Then he finds that he might be able to make some changes in his community and works towards those goals. He becomes driven, almost to the point of losing his job.

This is a very, very sad movie, not in the melodramatic sense (well, maybe it is) like in your average chick flick, but in how a guy sees life. If you want to see a guy cry, show him this movie. But, at the same time, it's very positive and up-lifting. It also shows us old post-war Japan in the early 50s. I really enjoyed this movie and hope that you will catch it with your next opportunity. Be sure to bring plenty of tissues. ;-).