I think Hirokazu Kore-eda is the finest Japanese film maker today, and he showed it again with his latest film, After The Storm (2016). It is very Ozu-esque in that he often focuses on simple family dramas. In this story a failed novelist/private detective Ryota (played by Hiroshi Abe) struggles to make child support payments due to his obsession with gambling,which would allow him to see his son. In Japan there is no joint custody and the mother, Kyoko (played by Yoko Maki), can withhold visitations at her whim-to her credit she does not even when he cannot come up with his monthly child support payments. Ryota is still in love with his wife and does not want to be divorced and while visiting his mother (another great performance from Kirin Kiki) the get stuck in staying overnight at her apartment as a typhoon approaches. The family gets to spend time together and while nothing is resolved-it feels as though something has been establishes among them. It is a subtle charming film that recalls the simple family dramas of one of Japan's great masters of film-no small compliment.
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