Kirschblüten - Hanami (2008)

Director:

Doris Dörrie

Writer:

Doris Dörrie (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 March 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

When Trudi learns that her husband Rudi is dangerously ill, she suggests visiting their children in Berlin without telling him the truth...

Plot Keywords:

Japan | Language Barrier | Homelessness | Parent Child Relationship | Butoh Dance

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Elmar Wepper	...	Rudi Angermeier
Hannelore Elsner	...	Trudi Angermeier
Aya Irizuki	...	Yu
Maximilian Brückner	...	Karl Angermeier
Nadja Uhl	...	Franzi
Birgit Minichmayr	...	Karolin Angermeier
Felix Eitner	...	Klaus Angermeier
Floriane Daniel	...	Emma Angermeier
Celine Tanneberger	...	Celine Angermeier
Robert Döhlert	...	Robert Angermeier
Tadashi Endo	...	Butoh Dancer
Sarah Camp	...	Butcher
Gerhard Wittmann	...	Doctor #1
Veith von Fürstenberg	...	Doctor #2

Also Known As:

Cherry Blossoms (International: English title)
Cherry Blossoms - Hanami (Europe: English title) (festival title)

Runtime:

Argentina:127 min | Germany:127 min

Country:

Germany | France

Language:

German | English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12 | Argentina:16 | France:U | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | USA:Unrated | Mexico:B15 | Hong Kong:III | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Olga Film GmbH

Movie Connections:

Version of Tôkyô monogatari (1953)

Tokyo Story

I'm not referring to a location of the movie, but I'm talking about a movie that is more than an influence on this one. It tries so hard to achieve what was so seamless and flawless over 50 years ago in a movie called "Tokyo Story" (international title).

But let me focus on the faults of this one, since I did review Tokyo Story before (I even watched this). I can see that some people might find it touching and cry. But the same can be said about almost any other soap opera shown on TV. If you let yourself into that world you're bound to cry.

But the ideology shown here, the overblown symbolic signs/pictures are more or less ridiculed by the way, they are either filmed or portrayed. You can't feel anything for characters who are an open void, while trying to project something completely different. The only saving graces are some social commentary and even those don't work as good as they could (family portrayed), giving us hints, but never fully exploring the threads and leaving us hanging and waiting for some (re)solution that never comes. And the one that comes at the end is so full of itself (melodrama anyone?), that you can't almost bear it ...

Showing symbols and ideals from Japan ain't enough to convey that one (in this case the director) truly understood those concepts. More like a tourist translation for those who are satisfied with less and only a glance of what really lies beneath! I can only refer again to Tokyo Story, a better watch and a much more compelling and coherent story, that has everything this story/film misses!