Reviews & Ratings for
Am I Trying More at IMDbPro »Otoko wa tsurai yo (original title)

15 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Endlessly watchable series, 20 January 2001
Author: ButaNiShinju from Japan

It seems amazing to many people that this series of movies went on to number 48 over 25 years. But each film is strangely compelling and quite different, even though the basic format is the same.

Tora-san is a deeply flawed but intensely 'real' individual: lazy, vain, semi-literate, petulant, mendacious, funny, child-like, generous, sentimental. A real pain for everyone around him (most of all his long-suffering family), but nevertheless likable for all that. He is no one-dimensional character -- Atsumi's acting is breathtakingly larger than life. A lot of the credit must be due to the directorial skills of Yamada, who coaxes fine natural performances from all his actors.

There are a lot of underlying themes in the Tora-san films. Class certainly is one. Shibamata, Tora-san's hometown, is lower working class. Tora-san himself is 'yakuza-poi' -- not one of the notorious gangsters one thinks of as 'yakuza', but a small-time drifter and seller of cheap books and trashy objects -- he tries his hand at various other jobs (like farming in Hokkaido), but always fails and returns to his itinerant way of life. His speech patterns and pugnacious character (not to mention his dress) signify his status immediately to any Japanese. Much of the comic tension in these films derives from the discomfort Tora's earthy presence provokes when among those of finer social pretensions.

The other more overt theme is Tora's endless disappointment in love. Although women find him a charming comedian, none can conceive of him as a serious love interest. Tora's fascination with women is curiously asexual -- there is never any leering or lustful aspect to it. Rather, he develops a sudden dog-like attachment to pretty young women he encounters by chance, his family---and the audience---knowing it is doomed from the start.

It is indeed a shame more of these films are not available in English, but on the other hand, a good translation of the very idiomatic Japanese would be difficult to achieve.

*UPDATE*: As of August 2008, Shochiku has released a new edition of the Tora-san films on DVD, WITH English SUBTITLES!

5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Where It Began, 13 October 2008

Author: crossbow0106 from United States

This first film in what is purported to be the longest run series in film history tells the tale of Tora-San, an itinerant peddler who is thrown out of his father's house twenty years before but reconnects with his aunt, uncle and sister Sakura (the very pretty and sweet Chieko Baisho). Tora wreaks some havoc in their lives, like getting drunk and silly at a marriage meeting and ruining Sakura's chance to marry someone, as well as just being a real pain to those around him. There is a sentimental side to him also, and the best way to describe him is that he grows on you. This film features smallish roles by two of the greatest actors in film history, Chishu Ryu as a priest and Takashi Shimura, as Sakura's prospective father in law. They light up the screen when they're in the film. Kind of a film about a bygone era in Japan, as itinerant peddlers are all but gone, this film reminds me somewhat of the two "Always Sunset On Third Street" films, as they are also about a bygone era. Crazy, funny & sentimental, this film delivers. I have not seen any of the rest (so far, anyway) of the films in this series, but I am intrigued. Atsumi Kiyoshi, who plays Tora, is good in this. I recommend it, its a very good film.

3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
1st "Tora-san" feature is funny, sad, wonderful..., 9 April 1999
Author: Stuart Galbraith IV (tothenamerobby@my-dejanews.com) from Hollywood, California

First "Tora-san" feature sets up format for the rest of the series, with Tora-san returning home to Shibamata after many years estranged from his family. Atsumi is hilarious, Baisho luminous, and Yamada's screenplay and direction is sensitive yet uncomprimising. As Kevin Thomas of the "LA Times" told me for an article I wrote on the series, these pictures are "sentimental, but in the good sense of the word." The real surprise here is the appearance of Takashi Shimura ("Seven Samurai," "Ikiru") as Hiroshi Suwa's estranged father. His scenes and how they relate to Tora-san's own life, is emotionally powerful stuff sprinkled with some very funny moments as well. It's really a shame that NONE of these movies are presently available on home video in the United States.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
While not life-changing, it is pleasant entertainment....and is like a reworking of "Curious George"., 16 April 2010

Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Unlike many out there (especially the Japanese who apparently LOVE Tora-san), this is the one and only film from this very long series that I have seen In fact, while I am a huge fan of Japanese cinema, I haven't gotten around to seeing any of the films simply because they have not been readily available in the States. Because of my very limited exposure to the films, I may not be the best person to comment on this film--but I'll try.

The movie begins with a prologue where you learn that Tora-san ran away from home when he was young and not been seen by his family since. In the interim, his parents have died and the only family member who still remains other than him is his younger sister--who is in her mid-20s and has little recollection of him. When he unexpectedly returns to town, it seems rather triumphant--with him making a good impression on everyone and begin welcomed back with open arms. Unfortunately, his welcome is relatively short-lived, as Tora-san turns out to be a boorish idiot who has a habit of making a mess of things--yet by the end of this movie, everything has STILL managed to work out and all is forgiven. What Curious Tora-san manages to screw up repeatedly in this installment is his sister's prospects of marriage. If you think about it, this is the exact same plot in the children's book "Curious George"! The only thing missing at the end is every one exclaiming 'good little monkey!".

Overall, this is a pleasant little slice of life comedy. While the humor is never laugh-out-loud funny, it is cute and watchable--like an Andy Hardy film. However, some might be put off a bit by the film's overly sentimental and maudlin moments as it tries to build some sympathy for Tora-san--though, frankly, this seemed a bit out of place. For the most part, he was an idiot AND an obnoxious one---yet most seemed to forgive him all too quickly. Actually, I loved the character of his uncle--the only one who kept steadfastly insisting the man was an idiot! Also, while there was too much pathos, some was actually pretty good--such as the subplot involving the groom and his estranged parents. It didn't necessarily fit into the spirit of the rest of the movie, but this scene with his father and the groom at the wedding reception was touching and well done.

The best thing I can say about this movie is that after it was over, I reserved the next three films in the long series--the only other films that are currently on Netflix or available from Amazon from the Toro-san films. Perhaps if they are successful here in the US, more will become available. I should also should point out that the DVD from Animeigo had excellent captioning and nice special features--plus the print was in top condition.

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