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Review - Kabei: Our Mother
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Kabei: Our Mother is not for the feint of heart. By legendary Japanese filmmaker Yoji Yamada (The Twilight Samurai and the Tora-san series), Kabei is a stark, at times heart wrenching story of young mother Kayo (Sayuri Yoshinaga) at the dawn of World War II, whose husband Shigeru (Mitsugoro Bando) is arrested for allegedly being a communist. Left alone to raise two little girls, Kayo struggles to find a new living. Her husband is withering away, barely scraping by financially and she fears what will happen to the daughters who may end up having nothing but feint memories of their father.
Based on Teruyo Nogami’s biography - the youngest of Kayo’s two girls, Yamada works with fellow screenwriter Emiko Hiramatsu in elegantly and almost plainly presenting Kayo’s sorrowful scenario. Yamada never overplays a moment, choosing a decidedly subtle hand. Shigeru’s slow starvation is clear, as is his poor treatment by guards who see him as a traitor, but Yamada never lingers on a shirtless tortured body. He instead lets the way Shigeru’s clothes become baggier and baggier or an increased numbers of holes in his socks do the trick. All this is helped by Yoshinaga’s proud, quiet performance. Elsewhere, the sounds of fresh sirens warning incoming dangers echo in the distance and Yamada keeps them there, refraining from blaring them through speakers and letting the family quiver in fear.
With a preference for long takes, Yamada’s Kabei is a picture that is thoroughly lived in. Characters come and go in each shot, from Teruyo’s little fits wanting more treats to an aunt’s realization of how truly troubled times are becoming. Frames have a presence to them. However, despite the troubled nature of the history, Kabei is not a downer from start to finish. Flitters of humor sneak in, especially from a slightly drunken, rambunctious wealthy uncle prone to dismissing anyone who thinks he shouldn’t show off his gold tooth.
Holding the movie together is Yoshinaga’s portrayal of Kayo. Her simple route would have been for theatrics, relying on screams of anguish and tears. Screams happen, as do tears, from Kayo and, unless you’re a heartless individual, the audience, but Yoshinaga’s has many more tricks up her capable sleeves. Her physical stance ever so slightly diminishes as the film progresses, with shoulders collapsing towards one another and a head that looks heavier with every obstacle. Yoshinaga’s eyes glow with a love that can shatter at any second, holding on only because her children need it. By the film’s conclusion, Yamada finally breaks, with emotions pouring out in a deeply honest way that impacts all the more for its previous hesitations. Kabei won’t be seen as something for standard summer crowds. Don’t let that keep you back. Whether it’s a quiet, rainy evening or a bright, breezy day, the movie is worth the two hours to take in.
Kabei: Our Mother opens exclusively at Landmark’s Varsity Theater tomorrow.
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