Tokyo Story

Yasujiro Ozu's film follows an elderly couple, Shukichi and Tomi Hirayama, as they visit their apparently disinterested children. It is only when they are in the company of their widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko, that they are shown any consideration or respect. This pattern is repeated following the mother's funeral, with Noriko, who has experienced loss herself, showing consideration and understanding to her father-in-law. She also demonstrates empathy for the lives of the Hirayami children, the choices they have made, and the inevitable drift that occurs between parents and their offspring. Hirayama commends her selflessness and humility. Of stylistic interest in the film is the camera height and its minimal movement. Set roughly at the height of someone seated on a mat, the camera becomes a silent witness to conversations and meals in the various Japanese homes the couple visit.