Cinematic Point Of View

Kore-eda Hirokazu‘s 2008 film ‘Still Walking‘ is masterpiece. A beautiful slice-of-life drama full of spot on humanistic detail and cultural family dynamics.

The film tells the story of a retired doctor and his wife who live in a quiet home by the sea. Their adult children return home to visit, bringing along their families. This visit is also a solemn but routine family gathering in remembrance of a second son/brother who died while trying to save a drowning child at the beach.

The action takes place over the course of this single day. Every frame is full of life and perfect, subtle performances. You feel like you’re there among this family. A fly on the wall.

Father (Yoshio Harada) is stuck in his old ways. He is so full of pride that he doesn’t even want people in his neighborhood seeing him return home from a walk holding a bag of groceries. Somehow this could be seen as if he is less a man. He is also distant from his children, wife, and grandchildren.

Mother (Kirin Kiki) lives a reserved and complacent life. She cooks meals and remembers better times. Accepting what is with little desire to try and change things.

The daughter Chinami (You) has a close bond with her Mother. She urges her parents to move and come live with her family. Chinami is more of a realist and the most positive and honest person in her family.

She loves them all and is always trying to bring everyone together.

The son Ryota (Hiroshi Abe) is recently married to a kind and strong woman named Yukari (Yui Natsukawa). Yukari is a widow and has a young son, making Ryota a step-father. Ryota works hard to earn the child’s trust. Yukari works hard to fit in with this family and maintain the peace.

Ryota also struggles with his success and keeps more distance from his sister and parents. Be it work or his marriage, or comparison to his deceased brother, Ryota lives with a constant sense of disapproval and feels like a disappointment.

The boy, now and adult, who was saved from drowning by the deceased son also makes an annual visit on this day. In a family and culture steeped in polite tradition, these moments overflow with awkwardness for everyone.

Every one of these scenes play out like a bit of quiet magic, revealing wounds and insecurities and love. It feels real.

Moments of cooking and conversation. Long walks up a long flight of stairs under the hot summer sun. Cicadas droning in the background. There is a lot of loving detail put into this film. There is a lot of love in this family that works hard to be expressed and heard.

There are no extraordinary plot revelations. No big chase scenes. No grand resolution. No big finale. It’s truly a miracle that it works so well without all of the typical filmmaking devices you expect from a drama like this. If this were a Hollywood production there would be screaming and shouting and violence. Not here.

You’ll think about your own family. How you spend your time. How you communicate your feelings. It will enrich you.

I can’t say enough good things about this movie. Seek it out. Take the journey. See where this walk will take you.