Why Japanese films are boring?

Actually, in my opinion they are not boring, but in many of the Japanese films action is slow. This may seem boring in the current fast world. I have not seen many Japanese films recently to make firm pronouncements on their nature, but I have an intention to find opportunities to see more of Japanese films in the future. Yesterday I saw An, film directed by a woman, Naomi Kawase and I was spell bound watching it. Yes, it was slow, the story was simple, beauty of actors was subdued and without a glossy makeup, there were many prolonged takes of nature. Could the film be considered boring? The cinema on Saturday afternoon was full and nobody left the theatre till the very end of the credits. Obviously the film was not boring to those who decided to see it.

                                             

The story is about people who are not really successful in their lives. A pastry maker struggling with paying his debts and making a living by producing dorayaki, sweets he does not like and never eats, a school girl whose only friend is a canary and she can not even keep in it a rented unit and a 76 year old woman still isolated from the wider society after old illness and she lives in leprosarium. Also the story is about making  an – a sweet read bean paste which is a part of doryiaki – two small pancakes with the red beans paste between them.

 

I would say that the story is also about love, acceptance, appreciation of nature and  carpe diem. It makes us see what is really important in life. Maybe I was never too far from having similar values as the film presents, but it was a strong reminder to live by the values not only admire them from afar.

 

The most happy and adjusted is Tokue, old woman who suffered from leprosy in her youth and then had to remain outside the normal life stream longing for contact with young people. She is kind and loving towards people, animals, nature and the red beans she lovingly transforms into a very special paste. The actress Kirin Kiki is fantastic in her role. I would very much like to see her in other films. She accepted her situation even if many would consider themselves hard done by fate ha others would consider, very hard life. And she makes others see beauty of what is around them, bringing joy and appreciation of their life. The pastry maker and the school girl are transformed under influence of Tokue. They become happy. They start to smile. The film made me see again and very clearly what makes a life a good one and that happiness is in small things always surrounding us.

 

The film represents a very stoic approach to life, I would say. But it may be so that I see, these days, all things through my aspiring stoic glasses.

 

It is a very much a feel good film and maybe even sentimental, but this has its value to me who is currently going through an upheaval of installation of a new kitchen.  Any feel good messages are much needed and appreciated.

 

I have been wondering on complexity and inconsistencies of human nature. I have a picture of cruelty of Japanese people, coded somewhere in my subconscious, and here we go, the film which shows completely different side of Japanese nature. Both of the sides must exist, but how do they coexist?

 

When the film finished I felt calm and quiet as if I had meditated for 113 min. 

 

I would strongly recommend the film for those who can cope with movies that are far, far from action films. My rating is 9 out of 10.