After the Storm

Composite Score: 81.33

Starring: Hiroshi Abe, Yôko Maki, Satomi Kobayashi, Lily Franky, Sôsuke Ikematsu, and Yuri Nakamura

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda

Writer: Hirokazu Koreeda

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

MPAA Rating: NR

Box Office: $5.38 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                After the Storm tells the story of Shinoda Ryôta, an award-winning author turned private investigator whose gambling addiction has left his family broken, and his attempts to win back the affection of his ex-wife and their son. In the midst of this compelling and lighthearted story, we also get to glimpse Ryôta’s relationships with his extended family and the ways that they mirror his more immediate relationships. The soundtrack, lead acting, and story all make this film into the wholesome watch that it is.

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                People unfamiliar with much Japanese media (anime, manga, films, etc.) could be disappointed with the film’s ending, leaving the immediate situations of the story resolved but many storylines open-ended and unresolved. People looking for full story resolution will not find it here; however, there is still emotional and relational resolution. Also, it should be noted that the film does not feature the end of any of its characters’ lives, meaning that there will certainly be more life lived beyond the film, and writer-director Hirokazu Koreeda wants to convey that, making the film more real.

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                After the Storm’s light and simple soundtrack lends to the film’s wholesome and comedic nature. In the midst of moments of crisis, when Ryôta is scrambling for cash to pay child support, when he and his ex-wife and son are running around outside in a typhoon looking for lost lottery tickets, when he is trailing a cheating husband to photograph him with a mistress for a client, the film’s score/soundtrack plays through, seemingly reminding the audience that life is still ongoing and that, while the stakes seem high, there is positivity to be found in any and every situation. The whistling and other vocalizations combined with minimalistic instrumentation make for ambient listening that helps to keep the overall mood of the film light.

                Hiroshi Abe’s portrayal of Ryôta is equal parts dramatic and melodramatically comedic. He flips the switch so well between the two modes and is consistently up to the challenge of every scene that he is in, which is most of the film’s scenes. We can tell that his character has a deep love for his family and also struggles with his financial addiction to gambling. The desperation that he conveys in his dramatic turns is matched by equally strong comedic stints to break the tension. His deadpan delivery of absolutely ridiculous lines about the 60 million fans of the lottery or horse races or bike races in Japan matches so well against his desperate frustration with his ex-wife over her new boyfriend and with his tender treatment of Shingo, their son, on their day together and during the storm. Every interaction with his costars is measured and appropriate to the scene, never trampling over the other actors but always holding down the mood of the scene.

                After the Storm’s story is highly rewarding, keeping the audience engaged by consistently introducing new information that develops its characters well. From the first scene, introducing Ryôta’s mother and sister as they talk about his deceased father and also him while he is absent, to the final scene, closing on a hopeful Ryôta watching his ex-wife and son leave after building new relationships with both, the film keeps the audience’s attention, consistently rewarding them with new pieces of information and character development throughout.

                Strong and rewarding story, consistent lead acting performance, and a simple and wholesome soundtrack define After the Storm as a film. It plays well as both comedy and drama, portraying the depth of human desire and the ways that we constantly seek relationship with one another. It warrants both watching and rewatching, which is great because of how wholesome the film really is. The family dynamics and comedic elements keep the film from the desperation that could easily come through in a film about a divorced dad trying to reconnect with his family in the midst of a major typhoon.