Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.
Kore-eda's intimate family drama is distinguished by exceptional naturalistic performances and warm, precise cinematography that captures domestic spaces with rare tenderness. The gradual revelation of grief and family tension is handled with remarkable restraint, though the narrative itself follows a fairly uneventful single-day structure that prioritizes mood over plot momentum. The film's emotional honesty is genuine but its novelty is somewhat tempered by its kinship with Ozu's domestic dramas — it perfects a lineage rather than breaking new ground. The ending, quietly devastating, feels earned but perhaps slightly underpowered given the accumulated weight.