One of the trademarks of Yasuhiro Ozu’s family dramas is the remarkably realistic presentation of everyday life in Japan. “The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice” also entails this characteristic, but also moments of comedy that deem the movie quite approachable.

The film revolves around a childless, middle-aged couple in post-war Japan, Taeko and Mokichi. Taeko is deeply unsatisfied with her wedding, and channels her frustration through behaviour that could be perceived extreme at the time, cheating her husband to go on a trip with friends, or going on trips without notifying anyone. Furthermore, she mocks her husband to her girlfriends every chance she gets. Mokichi on the other hand, seems almost oblivious to his wife’s mentality, as he eventually starts frequenting a pachinko parlor run by a former army comrade, along with a young friend, Non. In the middle of this situation is their niece,...