Still Walking (2008)

A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.

Director:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Writers:

Hirokazu Koreeda (original story), Hirokazu Koreeda (screenplay)

Stars:

Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, You

11 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Hiroshi Abe	...	Ryota Yokoyama
Yui Natsukawa	...	Yukari Yokoyama
You	...	Chinami Kataoka
Kazuya Takahashi	...	Nobuo Kataoka
Shohei Tanaka	...	Atsushi Yokoyama
Kirin Kiki	...	Toshiko Yokoyama
Yoshio Harada	...	Kyohei Yokoyama
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ryôga Hayashi	...	Mutsu Kataoka
Haruko Katô
Hotaru Nomoto	...	Satsuki Kataoka
Susumu Terajima	...	Sushi deliverer

Storyline

Still Walking is a family drama about grown children visiting their elderly parents, which unfolds over one summer day. The aging parents have lived in the family home for decades. Their son and daughter return for a rare family reunion, bringing their own families with them. They have gathered to commemorate the tragic death of the eldest son, who drowned in an accident fifteen years ago. Although the roomy house is as comforting and unchanging as the mother's homemade feast, everyone in the family has subtly changed.

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Plot Keywords:

mother son relationship | father son relationship | family relationships | children | dead brother | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Offcial Site

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

28 June 2008 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Still Walking

Filming Locations:

Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,298, 30 August 2009, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$163,512, 27 September 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bandai Visual Company, Cinequanon, Eisei Gekijo

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Mono (theatrical print)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Japanese title "Aruitemo aruitemo" ("no matter how much I walk") is a lyric from the 1968 song "Blue Light Yokohama", which is heard diegetically in the film.

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Quotes

Atsushi Yokoyama: There's nothing to watch on TV these days. They laugh so loud but nothing's funny.

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Soundtracks

Blue Light Yokohama
Written by Jun Hashimoto Kyôhei Tsutsumi
Performed by Ayumi Ishida

User Reviews

Understated story of family dynamics

At the risk of stating the obvious this is a very "japanese" movie, and those who have seen a few will know what I mean. Another reviewer has, with some justification, decried the notion that because a movie is Japanese it seems to automatically attain some sort of semi-mythical status that the same movie made in (say) America would not. Certainly there is a genre of Japanese movies that fall into the "movies where nothing happen" category, and as with many forms of art, sometimes we mistake emptiness and simplicity with great meaning. Sometimes it's hard to tell where greatness actually exists and where we make it up for ourselves, although I suppose since the final result is the same it is a bit of a moot point.

This movie borrows heavily from "Tokyo Story", another glacially paced movie of the inter-generational genre, but whereas the thrust of that movie was the younger generation's indifference and lack of time for the older generation this one is more about the simmering conflicts related to the death of a son, barely concealed resentments related to career choices, the failure to meet fatherly expectations, a mother's long held grudges, etc. As a family meets to commemorate the death of a son, we see a fine web of cracks start to radiate, all bubbling away nicely within the perfectly regimented framework of Japanese politeness and etiquette. The cracks are delicate but deep as the characters tip-toe around the many issues that interconnect 3 generations. Lurking below the surface of civility we see unpleasant aspects of most of the characters but in true Japanese style there are no raised voices, no shouting matches, no slammed doors, no accusations, no resolutions, no explosions, no car chases, no nudity, no violence - just swirling undercurrents. Some people will like this, others will not, and that is fine.

I enjoyed this movie, but it was not a world shattering event. I thought some opportunities for development were missed and I was particularly annoyed when the movie did not finish immediately after the narration near the end. This could have been a totally killer statement, at last, a statement of truth and brutal cruelty to contrast cataclysmically with the hour of banal politeness and withholding of feelings that preceded it. This would have given the whole movie some meaning and bite, but no, they had to spoil it by reverting to the pretense of everyone playing happy families.

In summary a good movie that those used to the "japanese" pace will enjoy, but probably not one that will change your life.