An Inn in Tokyo

The striking balance of childhood innocence against parental tribulation provides the emotional backbone to Ozu’s final silent, achingly capturing the humanity of a single father unable to provide for his two young sons. Filmed with just a handful of actors, simple props and threadbare sets, the lack of anything resembling a budget makes its portrait of desperate poverty all the more effective, and the end result all the more admirable.

I love Ozu, but some of his earlier movies.... sheeeesh. Hard work. Took a while for my man to hit his stride. This one turns 80 minutes into an eternity, while his later-career 2+ hour movies feel like nothing

wallows in poverty, highlighted by a key moment where they must choose between paying to stay in a room for the night or for dinner. Having chosen food over shelter, they are sitting eating when a huge storm rolls in, prompting one son to ask, "Why couldn't it rain earlier?" as they wonder how they can spend the night in the rain.I use the word "wallow" because these moments are virtually unrelieved, but it's never sadistic, never dishonest

Yasujiro Ozu still making silents in 1935. And he's still in control over the emotions, here showing how it is to be poor and struggling. Takeshi Sakamoto is a single dad with 2 kids and no home or work. He isn't a man who lives a structured life and easily stumbles in life. And even when trying to help, he stumbles and that effects the people around him in a sad way. And that gives this Ozu film the little nudges of emotions again and again until one is caught right in the middle of it....

Doesn’t have quite the emotional punch that some of ozu’s later works mastered, but never feels like it’s wallowing too much in poor peoples misery.

The film is very moving and I got sucked into the small day to day activities of the characters. Each character is pitiful in their own way even though I felt the shop owner Otsune ultimately got the short end of the stick.

Star Rating: ★★★1/2