Ikiru (1952) Review

I saw Ikiru ("To Live") twice over the last 3 days. It was such an outwardly powerful viewing the first time, I simply had to view it again in order to fully understand the underlying message Akira Kurosawa conveyed. It was an equally compelling experience on rewatch, and I think I may understand it enough to do it justice through my writing.

The film is about Kanji Watanabe (Takashi Shimura), a bureaucrat who seems completely detached from the world due to his work. He has been a widower for 20 years, and he has been trapped in his job for 30 years. His son and daughter- in -law are more interested in his retirement bonus and pension, and his misery is compounded more when he finds out that he has stomach cancer. He decides to spend the time he has left, to live his unlived life. He tries to do this in the beginning by spending time in a Japanese nightclub with an eccentric and empathetic novelist (Yūnosuke Itō), but he eventually finds out this is not the solution. While he is there, he sings "Gondolo na Uta", a song about the briefness of life. This specific scene is incredible, and is a great reason to watch the film.

Kanji also decides to bond with his co-worker, Toyo Odagiri, in order to find out the secret behind her joy for life. His constant going out with her leads to misunderstandings with his family, which causes his son and daughter in law to rebuff him. Kanji finally discovers a reason to live, when he decides to build a children's park in a heavily-polluted cesspool.

Kurosawa's films usually had Japanese virtues; however, with this film, he shows his protagonist face the amazing odds against him, and he finally decides to rebel against the norm. Kanji's journey to accomplish one notable achievement in his life, is one of the most inspiring journeys I have ever seen. 

The final scene of the film is instantly iconic, as Kanji sings "Gondolo no Uta" once again. I have to admit, I completely lost it while watching this scene. It is an amazing achievement of cinematography, Kurosawa's direction, and Takashi Shimura's performance. 

That also brings me to the most praiseworthy aspect of the film: the acting. Takashi Shimura gives one of the greatest performances of all time, (and certainly his best), with his heartbreaking and simultaneously inspirational depiction of the dying man. Shimura is always fully invested with his character, and makes his whole journey throughout the film an amazing one, from the stoic bureaucrat to the depressed and dying man, and finally to the man who is content with his life. The smaller supporting performances, such as Yusunuke Ito's performance as the Novelist, and Miki Odagiri's performance as Toyo Odagiri, are also wonderful, and work wonders to amplify the atmosphere of the film. 

Ikiru is quite simply, a masterpiece of film making and acting. It is emotionally harrowing, inspirational and heartbreaking at the same time. In the words of the great critic, Roger Ebert, it is one of the few films that changes who you are as a person after you see it. It is one of the best films I have ever seen, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. 

Score: 5/5