Yasujiro Ozu’s Good Morning (1959)

Netflix Synopsis: Depicting suburban Tokyo in the 1950s and the ordered social structure of Japanese culture, this film tells the story of two Japanese boys who beg their parents for a television set, nagging incessantly until they’re ordered to be quiet. The children take the command literally and refuse to speak — at all. Their disobedience and bad manners begin to take a toll on their family as well as the community in which they live.

Review: Light-hearted look into Japanese 1950s culture with deeper meanings on how the wheels of social stricture are lubricated by the oils of necessary banalities like “good morning, how are you, fine weather isn’t it?” (thus, the title of the movie) But all wrapped up in a nice 90 minute flatulence joke - yep, you heard me! The main story revolves around the two brothers who want a TV and keep complaining to their parents about buying one - the parents finally have enough and tell their kids to be quiet - so the kids essentially go on a “silence strike” and refuse to say anything at all. (The younger brother, Isamu, is the cutest!!) I completely fell in love with this film and can’t wait to see Ozu’s other works.

Submitted by: Audrey 10/30/06