Cinematic Point Of View

A few years ago I fell in love with the films of Hirokazu Koreeda. I had read that Maborosi, his first feature film, was an incredibly difficult watch and I put off watching it. Then one day last week, I took the plunge.

It’s every bit as remarkable a film as I had read. It might be considered a difficult watch for viewers on many levels, ranging from the leisurely pacing to the delicate subject matter.

Maborosi tells the story of Yumiko (Makiko Esumi), a young woman that has her world shattered when her husband apparently commits suicide out of the blue, leaving her and her infant child behind.

This is entire film is an expression of grief.

Every frame is beautifully shot and crafted to convey these feelings. Yumiko is in shock. Confused and left with no answers. Her emotions are kept silently inside as time passes by.

Koreeda uses the natural world all around her to express Yumiko’s inner world. Overcast days. Rain. Monsoons. Dimly lit interiors. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.

In one of the first scenes after receiving news of her husband’s death, she rides in the back of a police car. She is on the way to identify her husband’s body. You can imagine and feel the the shock and grief but Yumiko does not show it. Outside the car it is dark and raining. The natural world reflecting her inner world.

Months later, while not forced to marry a new man, it is arranged for Yumiko to marry Tamio, a widower who lives in a rural seaside village with his young daughter. In her state of shock, this is encouraged by her family to help her, and Tamio, find some stability in their lives and for their children. As strange a decision as this sounds, it isn’t too hard to understand. Yumiko’s new husband is on a similar path of grieving and they’re two stories coming together only deepens the journey.

This might be my favorite Hirokazu Koreeda film, which is saying a lot with films like Still Walking, Broker, Shoplifters, and Monster on his resume. Not only is Maborosi a debut effort but it also come across as a masterwork right out of the gate. The film will stay with you. It’s been on my mind ever since watching it.

It’s a visual meditation. You need to be in the right headspace watch it though. It’s not a fun Friday night feature. Give it a watch when you feel that call on the inside.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the film after watching.