Japanese
cinema has always excelled at domestic dramas, with the Yasujiro Shimazu’s classic
Shomin-geki films even predating the masterworks and masterpieces of Yasujiro
Ozu. They would both probably find Tsugumi Dozono’s relationship with her grandmother’s
former boyfriend somewhat unconventional, but not completely unimaginable.
Things get May-Decemberish in Ryuichi Hiroki’s Her Granddaughter (trailer here), which screens as a selection of this
year’s Japan Cuts, the Festival of New Japanese Film in New York.
It
should be noted Kyoko Dozono looked more like Tsugumi’s mother than her
grandmother. As a child, Tsugumi spent a fair amount of time in her
artistically distressed country home, so she naturally retreats there after the
funeral. Not only is she mourning Kyoko, she is also reeling from a disastrous
love affair. However, her reverie is soon interrupted by Jun Kaieda, her
grandmother’s former student and whatever. It seems she gave him a key to live
in the annex, so he expects things to continue just the same with Tsugumi.
At
first, Kaieda’s boorish and entitled behavior annoys Dozono (and just about
anyone else who might be watching), but just as fall follows summer, they soon
warm to each other. They even have a dry run at playing house when a distant
relative abandons five year-old Makoto Tomioka on their doorstep.
Frankly,
screenwriter Hiroshi Saito’s adaptation of Keiko Nishi’s manga way overdoes
Kaieda’s high-handed arrogance in the first act. By the time they start falling
for each other, we are ready for her to sic the sheriff on him. You just have to
let the film restart in your head, because when it explores Kaieda’s past
through the prism of Tomioka’s present woes and Dozono’s burgeoning attraction,
it is quite sensitive and humanistic.
Nana
Eikura and Etsushi Toyokawa develop some convincingly mature chemistry as
Dozono and Kaieda, respectively. Mari Hamada and Yu Tokui also add a graceful
human touch as Kaieda’s foster sister and brother. Even young Ruka Wakabayashi’s
Tomioka eventually wins viewers over.
