While being lesser known than much of his work, Ozu's early silent "I Flunked, But..." is still a work of the finest filmmaking craftsmanship. It is a beautifully told rendition of a simple tale, one that centers around a young man that flunks college...and that's sort of it. It portrays this young man in such a way that during his journey of ups and downs, the emotions are heightened to an unexpected degree. the story seems rather consequential in comparison to many of commercial cinema's epic terrorist-robot- dinosaur threats, but this mildly silly and largely simplistic is far more relatable, sympathetic, and, in the end, emotional thanks to Ozu's brilliant eye for cinema. Not only does his camera move and stare with grace, capturing the action with poignant artistry, but his script works as both a college comedy and a sorrowful melodrama. Despite its lack of any reputation whatsoever and clear state of obscurity, this film is better than you probably imagine, and anybody interested should see it as soon as they get their hands on a copy.
