This was one big rollercoaster ride. I completely lost my sense of time and at one point when I felt I had experienced a movie's worth of emotions, I looked at the timer - and I was barely half-way through. Uh oh. :-)
I feel very drained emotionally, but I really liked this film.
My son insisted I watch this film with him, saying it was the best foreign film he'd ever seen -- a great compliment from a young man who has watched hundreds of them in the past few years. Within minutes, I knew I was watching something extraordinary and couldn't have been more pleased with my son for finding this gem and sharing it with me. It's at the top of my favorite foreign films list now.
As Matsuko's life unfolds, I was drawn in deeper, captivated by this very flawed, very human, and loveable woman. The character development, storyline, cinematography were all top notch.
My Japanese born wife recommended we watch this and I felt just as exhausted after watching this as I did with Requiem for a Dream despite the slight uplift at the end. Never the less, this film really has changed my view on life and relationships for the (even) better.
I saw it a year ago in the Montreal Asian Film Festival, but when I think back about it now, I still feel very emotional. It's just such a sad and adorable movie.
I remember it came on TV late one night, I was debating whether to watch it or not. I am so glad I did. It's one of my favourite and most treasured movies. It breaks my heart, every time, as you said, I feel so drained emotionally after watching it, and that usually lasts a pretty long time afterwards.
It is beautiful.
One of the rare movies that make me feel with every fibre of my being.
...R.I.P Michael Joseph Jackson... ...R.I.P Heathcliff Andrew Ledger...
Agree, what a remarkable experience. Very rarely does a movie tug my heartstrings as much as this one. I find myself laughing and crying at the same time.