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Variety.com - Following the more outre concepts of several features including “After Life” and “Nobody Knows,” writer-helmer Hirokazu Kore-eda seems to be scaling back with the writ-small “Still Walking,” which chronicles 24 hours in the life of a mildly dysfunctional family. But its modest surface belies the depths of a lovely seriocomedy that concisely lays bare all kinds of uncomfortable dynamics in seemingly casual, low-key fashion. Just released theatrically in Japan, this gem should attract interest from discerning offshore fest, arthouse and tube programmers.
The Yokohama clan gets together every year at the elderly parents’ seaside-town home to commemorate an eldest son’s death. It’s an occasion not looked forward to by all — or perhaps anyone — despite general efforts at good cheer. Particularly reluctant are surviving son Ryota (Hiroshi Abe), who feels the brunt of his elderly parents’ thinly disguised disapproval of his art-restoration profession and his new bride, Yukari (Yui Natsukawa). She’s anxious to impress the in-laws, and have them accept as family her child (Shoehi Tanaka) by her late first husband.
But Ryota’s biggest complaint is that his blunt-spoken mother (Kirin Kiki) and, in particular, his gruff father (Yoshio Harada) still treat him like a failure compared to shining-star Junpei, who died saving a drowning child. All their hopes were pinned on him; even long dead, he’s the yardstick by which Ryo is judged.
No such expectations are laid on daughter Chinami (You, the squeaky-voiced abandoning mother in “Nobody Knows”), a garrulous flake whose amiable car-salesman husband (Kazuya Takahashi) and two rambunctious children don’t bother brooding over any family conflicts, past or present… [Full Story]
