Review of Late Spring (1949) by Jesse K — 07 Nov 2015

Ozu was one of the great humanists, a man capable of accessing some of the most private and universal familial moments and presenting them on screen in a way that feels both honest and touching without ever overstepping into the realm of sentimentality.

Late Spring is soul-crushing, focusing on a father and daughter willing to make personal sacrifices to maintain their relationship while both are entirely aware of the inevitability of their ultimate separation.

All children eventually leave their parents, but the experience is never easy and Ozu represents this necessary pain in such a way that is absolutely devastating. Its post-WWII setting is also important in that it makes the personal story something that comes to represent all of Japan, a generation leaving the other behind in the pursuit of new happiness, leaving behind the past and the presence of death while still paying respect to the traditions of what came before them.

It's difficult to say whether or not this is better than his masterful Tokyo Story, but for the sake of pointless hierarchy, Late Spring might edge it out purely due to its overwhelming emotional impact.