Review of Ikiru (1952) by Tom W — 19 Nov 2007
An early Kurosawa masterpiece about a man who reflects on his life after diagnosed with a terminal illness. He desperately tries to find meaning from a life working in a mundane job at a council office.
In an attempt to leave some sort of legacy, the man pushes through plans to get a playground sanctioned, which gets approved and built. The iconic scene where we see Watanabe on the swing in the snow is one of his last moments and the most moving in cinematic history.
Highly accompanlished in the way it jumps between Watanabe going about his business and arguments between the bureaucrats at his funeral for a film over fifty years old. Kurosawa may be remembered for Seven Samurai and Rashomon but this is the Kurosawa film that really stands out for me.
This review of Ikiru (1952) was written by Tom W on 19 Nov 2007.
Ikiru has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
