Starts off as a light comedy but slowly the deeper issues emerge and, while it never loses a sense of happiness, those dramatic scenes are really strong. A bit uneven but still very good.

Slight but enjoyable tale of an uneducated widower trying to care for his young son. The story rambles a bit, but most of the episodes have something to offer. Ozu's real talent is creating instantly relatable characters, and seeing their innate kindness beneath their flaws. I can't think of an Ozu movie that has a true "villain", although I guess you could make the argument for Tokyo Story.