Plot Summary
Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story (Tokyo Monogatari) follows an aging couple, Tomi and Sukichi, on their journey from their rural village to visit their two married children in bustling, postwar Tokyo. Their reception is disappointing: too busy to entertain them, their children send them off to a health spa. After Tomi falls ill she and Sukichi return home, while the children, grief-stricken, hasten to be with her. From a simple tale unfolds one of the greatest of all Japanese films. Starring Ozu regulars Chishu Ryu and Setsuko Hara, the film reprises one of the director’s favorite themes—that of generational conflict—in a way that is quintessentially Japanese and yet so universal in its appeal that it continues to resonate as one of cinema’s greatest masterpieces.
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Screenwriter
Customer Reviews
A Japanese masterpiece. Meditation on Japanese life. Simple
I bought this in a heartbeat. Ozu is Japan's most revered directors and this film is the best reason why. Always shot from the perspective of one who is crouched or sitting low as the Japanese do on the floor.. we see the world of Japanese family life through the lens of a meditative genius. Highly recommended.
A simple masterpiece.
Arguably the greatest film of Japanese cinema, it is also arguably the most heart-wrenching film ever made. A must-see.
A True Masterpiece
Every shot it perfect. This is a true piece of art. A major masterpiece. From beginning to end, Ozu’s direction is spot on. He has created one of the greatest films of all time. No one has come close to this style of storytelling.
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