Review of Late Spring (2014) by Scott R — 27 Aug 2016

Yasujiro Ozu's delicate post-war drama presents us with a half-open window into an oddly compelling world of marriage-obsessed mundanity.

Ozu's nuanced film follows a soap opera storyline characterised by chatter and crumbling traditions in a Western-influenced East. The meandering melodrama is broken up by sly moments of serenity and idiosyncrasy, but the film is perhaps most notable for its unusual framing techniques, which leave us literally 'looking up' at Ozu's puppet-like players.

Late Spring is a peaceful film, somehow numbing, but fascinating. Constricted, but creative. Static frames keep us stuck to the screen and unspoken thoughts keep us curious for more.