Grave and sombre, 'Tokyo Story' is a weighty examination of family relationships and encroaching modernisation in 1950s Japan. As you may have guessed, it's hardly a barrel of laughs, but the measured approach of Yasujiro Ozu is never less than involving, sometimes transfixing.
The story follows a rural elderly couple who go, with their youngest daughter, to visit their eldest children, who reside in the Japanese capital. The two children, the son is a doctor and the daughter runs a beauty salon, are more interested in themselves than their parents and have very little time for them. In an effort to keep them out of their hair and ensure that they have a good time, the two kids despatch the parents to a holiday resort. However, things aren't to their liking in the noisy resort and they return to Tokyo.
Filmed in a sparse black and white with a narrative which eschews melodrama in favour of formal contemplation, 'Tokyo Story' is slow moving in terms of incident, but taken as a whole it has a dramatic impact. The performances are immaculate, but it's the odd atmosphere characterised by the non-intrusive camerawork, and the non-judgemental tone, which really sets it apart. It may not be a picture designed for mass consumption, but 'Tokyo Story' rewards those with patience.