Supermarket Woman (1996) [Film Review]

Supermarket Woman; or, Ideal Shop
     You know, it’s the customers that make a supermarket. The egg incident taught me how scary that can be. Take a look. Thousands of people living here… all wanting the best they can get for their hard-earned money.
Supermarket Woman is a penultimate movie directed by Juzo Itami before his untimely death. It took me quite a while to track it down, but finally, I got to see it. Similarly to his previous works, Supermarket Woman (starring his real-life wife Nobuko Miyamato in the leading role) is a funny, light, feel-good comedy.

Release Info

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Masahiko Tsugawa, Yuji Miyake

Language: Japanese Original Title: スーパーの女 Runtime: 127 min

Synopsis
Kobayashi Goro (Masahiko Tsugawa) is the General Manager of a small “Honest Goro” supermarket which is co-owned by his brothers. All of a sudden, the business is threatened by competition in the form of “Bargain Galore” supermarket which gains fame for its price-cutting techniques. While spying in the hostile shop, Goro bumps into a colleague from grade school, Hanako Inoue (Nobuko Miyamoto). Hanako, being an experienced housewife, knows exactly how supermarkets are cheating their clients and what kind of treatment an average client expects. Goro, evidently impressed by Hanako’s knowledge, immediately hires her as the head of the Customer Service Department. An energetic woman starts to change the stale shop environment, turning “Honest Goro” into the best supermarket in Japan.

Shopping Specialist
Juzo Itami’s films always focus on some social topic: for example, Marusa no Onna (1987) was about taxes, and Minbo (1992) highlighted the issue of yakuza. Supermarket Woman, as the title suggests, is about the supermarkets, but not the big chain ones, those smaller in size where you can buy primarily food.

This film is definitely at the top together with Tampopo (1985) and The Funeral (1984). Contrary to these pictures, it does not contain dark humour. Rather than that, it is a heart-warming story about two friends joining forces and trying to serve their customers as efficiently as possible. Evidently, it is a fictional tale, but I like to think that in such a country as Japan, the supermarket workers are always trying their best.

Also, the unfavourable side of business is exposed as well. We get to see how the sellers cheat on meat, vegetables, and promotion. Without a doubt, these dubious practices are a common occurrence in the world of today and each customer should be cautious while doing shopping.

With regard to performances, Nobuko Miyamoto and Masahiko Tsugawa (who already appeared together in Itami’s A Taxing Woman movies) shine together on the screen as two friends who rely on each other. In addition, there are some great supporting parts done by Akiko Matsumoto and Yuji Miyake.

Recommendations
If you are a fan of Juzo Itami’s films, then definitely check out Supermarket Woman. It will uplift your mood after a hard day and also provide some food for thought (about supermarkets). All in all, Juzo Itami and Nobuko Miyamoto never fail to provide great entertainment.

Overall score: 8/10

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Woman in Witness Protection (1997) [Film Review]

Woman in Witness Protection; or, See no Evil, Hear no Evil
     It’s fine. It’s called acting.
The late director Juzo Itami always crafted his movies around the topical concerns which troubled society, and Woman in Witness Protection is no exception. This time, the main heroine (as always played by Itami’s wife, Nobuko Miyamoto) finds herself on the run from a vicious cult. As a matter of fact, Itami focused on the issue of religious cults as early as 1988 in A Taxing Woman’s Return, where an IRS agent investigates an insidious religious group that is suspected of tax evasion.

Release Info

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Masahiko Nishimura, Takehiro Murata

Language: Japanese Original Title: マルタイの女 Runtime: 131 min

Synopsis
In Woman in Witness Protection, we follow Biwako Isono (Nobuko Miyamoto), a shallow and spoiled movie star. All of a sudden, she witnesses a gruesome murder of an anti-cult lawyer and his wife. In order to protect the actress from religious fanatics, the police provide her with specially trained witness protection officers until the trial. In the meantime, Biwako has to deal with various means of harassment and attempts to tarnish her public image.

All the World’s a Stage
To put it in simple terms, Woman in Witness Protection is Juzo Itami’s middle finger towards Aum Shinrikyo. By means of his usual black comedy style and brutal satire, the director exposes the fallacies of the cult and how it engages in domestic terrorism. The premise of the story is actually based on the real-life murder of Tsutsumi Sakamoto and his family. In addition, Itami can’t help himself but name Aum and Asahara in one of the interrogation scenes when police officers try to disprove the might of the glorious “Guru” by stating that he actually can’t levitate.

The movie is divided into appropriate sections (the murder, the investigation, the arrest, etc.) in order to present the sequence of events and how the law enforcement works. In the midst of all that we have Biwako Isono who is not entirely sure how she should behave as a witness, yet she has to maintain her acting profession while the cult is targeting her.

I believe that the closest equivalent of Woman in Witness Protection is Itami's Minbo (1992). That is, both films tackle controversial topics and have huge shifts in tone (comedic scenes are crosscut with dead serious sequences).

With regard to performances, Nobuko Miyamoto aces it once again by playing a highly energetic, outspoken, yet complex heroine. Words of appreciation also go to Masahiko Nishimura and Takehiro Murata as policemen protecting Nobuko’s character from numerous dangers. In addition, Masahiko Tsukgawa, another Itami’s regular, has a small but interesting role of Biwako’s love interest.

Recommendations
All in all, Woman in Witness Protection is a very clever comedy drama, but this is not to say that the film is free from ghastly sequences. In a Tarantino-like manner, Itami underlines the fact that nothing will stop religious fanatics from accomplishing their goals (even if it means threatening, bribery, or killing). It is quite a shame that this was the director's last movie before his untimely demise.Overall score: 7/10

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Tampopo (1985) [Film Review]

Tampopo; or, Food, Ramen Girl, and Franz Liszt

     Wait. Wait, please... Please... Please be my teacher. I'll be a good student! Meeting you makes me want to be a real noodle cook!

This week’s review will be about Juzo Itami’s greatest classic and, probably, one of the best films about food of all time. Tampopo is a wonderful tale about passion, self-confidence, love, death, social etiquette and their inextricable connection with the essential basics of our survival: food.

Release Info 

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe, Hideji Otaki 

Language: Japanese Original Title: タンポポ Runtime: 115 min

 

Synopsis

When discussing Tampopo’s narrative, we have to bear in mind that it involves several storylines. The main one focuses on a pair of truck drivers, Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and his co-worker Gun (young Ken Watanabe!), who stop to eat at a ramen noodle shop. Unfortunately, unpleasant customers harass the owner of the place, Tampopo (Nobuki Miyamoto) and Goro stands in her defence. The next day, grateful Tampopo cooks breakfast for Goro, but he politely tells her that her ramen is not particularly good. After giving her several tips, Goro prepares to leave, but Tampopo begs him to become her teacher. The truck driver eventually agrees and resolves to turn her noodle shop into the greatest ramen place. That’s how the quest of our heroes in search for perfect ramen begins.

Food, Food, and More Food

First of all, I have to point out that you should not watch this movie on an empty stomach. Seriously, there should be a disclaimer like that at the very beginning, because the film is filled with various dishes from Japanese cuisine, not just ramen. Well, I would even dare to say that food is not only the main theme, but the main hero of Tampopo. We follow Goro and Tampopo as they try to discover the essence of ramen by, for instance, observing other chefs at work, learning the right balance of ingredients, proper serving of the incoming customers, and relentlessly training in the kitchen almost in Rocky style.

However, not only Goro lends Tampopo a hand. Goro’s “old master” (Yoshi Kato) also helps as well as a certain wealthy businessman (Hideji Otaki), whom Tampopo saved from choking, and his chauffeur Shohei (Kinzo Sakura), and Tampopo’s old customer Pisken (Rikiya Yasuoka). It is the unity of these strangers that ultimately leads to the formation of “Tampopo Noodles” restaurant and the creation of the finest ramen ever made.

Nevertheless, Tampopo is not only about the main heroine and her ramen. In fact, the movie begins in a very strange, metanarrative-like way with a macho gangster and his girlfriend sitting in a cinema and watching a movie about truck drivers (Goro and Gun) who are reading a book about ramen... Tampopo’s story is cross-cut with a few short skits which are in no way connected with the main plot, but... all involve food in one way or the other. Thus, for example, we get to see such hilarious situations as a corporate subordinate shaming his superiors when ordering a sophisticated dish, a hopeless etiquette lesson (with the legendary Mariko Okada) on how to eat spaghetti, a man sharing an ice cream with a kid, a housewife rising from deathbed to cook the final meal for her family, and a store manager chasing a woman who manically squeezes food...

Yet perhaps, the weirdest short story of all is the one about a gangster and his girlfriend who are... physically celebrating each other with quite ingenious usage of food. Pleasure of consumption is equalled here with pleasure of sex, but at this point the film almost crosses the line between being an innocent comedy and a porn flick. Nevertheless, the egg scene should be included somewhere on the list of 100 best cinematic kisses.

In consequence, Itami constantly winks at the viewers by placing food at the core of these bizarre situations. The way I understand these scenes is that food seems not only as a necessity to survive, but as a way to live through life. Dishes become commodities, sources of pleasure, irreversibly combined with our senses, emotions, and important memories. In other words, food is the source of happiness. Quite rightly so, this is also the case with Tampopo. Yet, she achieves happiness not from eating ramen, but by making it for other people who enjoy it. Itami points to this materialistic way of life which governs our existence and underlines that we also should appreciate the things which we usually take for granted. Our family, job, and nourishment.

In terms of performances, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Nobuko Miyamoto were flawless once again, as in The Funeral (1984) and A Taxing Woman (1987). I even think that Miyamoto gave the most energetic performance in her career as Tampopo. On the other hand, Yamazaki was so cool as a tough truck driver that, for some reason, he reminded me of Gregory Peck! But maybe it was just because of the hat...

Ken Watanabe has only a supporting role and a very limited screen time, but still, it is great to see him at the very beginning of his career. Masahiko Tsugawa deserves an honourable mention as a supermarket manager. Even though he has no dialogue, it is hilarious to see him pursuing a crazy old woman. In addition, the music score is epic and I don’t mean the incidental music, but the usage of Franz Liszt’s epic finale from “Les Preludes”, especially in the scene when Tampopo finally makes the perfect ramen. Awesome!

Recommendations

I recommend this film to anyone who likes a good comedy, Japanese cuisine, and existential matters explored in a quirky way. Tampopo delivers on all fronts, becoming a little masterpiece which, for some unknown reason, happens to be frequently omitted on “all-time best” lists. All things considered, Tampopo is a great ramen western.

Overall score: 9/10

The Funeral (1984) [Film Review]

The Funeral; or, The Art of Japanese Send Off

     This was my home when I lived in Izu. Now, since I moved to Tokyo, I call it my country place. But really, it's my in laws’ retirement home.

This week I would like to discuss yet another of Itami’s classics. The Funeral, which initiated his filmmaking career by winning five Japanese Academy Awards, is a careful study of a family organising the traditional ceremony of final farewell to their deceased relative.

Release Info 

Directed by: Jûzô Itami Starring: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kin Sugai, Hideji Otaki

Language: Japanese Original Title: Osōshiki Runtime: 124 min 

 

Plot

The story begins with an elderly man known as Shokichi Amamiya. After receiving a clean bill of health, Shokichi outrageously mocks his wife, Kikue (Kin Sugai), when saying that he wants to live to the age of 120 and with a young mistress by his side. However, Amamiya suffers from a massive heart attack after this statement and dies in a hospital. Back in Tokyo, his daughter Chizuko (Nobuko Miyamoto) and son-in-law Wabisuke Inoue (Tsutomu Yamazaki) receive a phone call with tragic news. It is up to them to organise the funeral and Chizuko tells her husband that the service should be held in Izu. Wabisuko is not too keen on the ceremony taking place in his childhood home but eventually agrees. All family members gather in Izu and the three days of preparations begin. During that time the relatives have to deal with various personal issues and mutual resentments.

Handle with care

Similarly to other Itami’s films, The Funeral can’t be exclusively labelled as a comedy. Certainly, there some noticeable light undertones in the story, but what makes this movie unique is a considerable distance from the events it focuses on. If the film had been shot entirely with a handheld camera, I would have thought that I was watching an actual documentary. The plot is virtually non-existent. You won’t find here any conflict, rising action, and climax. Yet, even though everything on the screen is shown very subtlety and cautiously, you get the feeling that there’s a lot of going on in the Amamiya family.

On the surface, we observe the family’s preparations for the funeral. Wabisuko and Chizuko have to face with such daunting tasks as choosing a coffin, learning formal etiquette, preparing a speech, holding a wake for the neighbours, and hiring a priest. Nevertheless, there are certain little things which make watching Amamiyas’ preparations disturbing. It is, for instance, Chizuko’s cousin who cheats Wabisuko on money when paying the hospital bill, Shokichi’s brother who is resented due to his wealth, and Wabisuko who has an affair with a younger woman. None of these issues are out of the ordinary in modern times, but perhaps this is the harsh message that Itami tried to convey: death in the family does not really matter.

The scene which made the greatest impression on me is the black and white sequence shot by one of the relatives. It’s naturally beautiful in its simplicity and innocence. In my opinion, it resonates even stronger when contrasted with the scene of Wabisuko’s unexpected sexual intercourse in a forest. In addition, Kikue’s speech towards the end of the film is also interesting as the widow expresses her regret that the hospital staff would not let her be with the husband in his last moments.

In terms of performances, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Nobuko Miyamoto are flawless as always. It is not surprising that Yamazaki and Miyamoto starred together in three other films (Tampopo (1985), A Taxing Woman (1987), and A Quiet Life (1995)). There is very little of music score, but its absence only reinforces the authenticity of the picture. In addition, the movie has excellent framing, very much in style of Akira Kurosawa, with action often going on the background rather than in the foreground.

Recommendations

Recommended to anyone who is into human interest stories or would like to know something more about the Japanese funeral rituals. It is also a great movie to start with when checking out Itami’s filmography. As mentioned previously, Yamazaki and Miyamoto give great performances and it is worth seeing the film just for them. The Funeral also has a whole new dimension of meaning for people grieving over their relatives who passed away. Watch the film and it will leave you thinking for a few good weeks.

Overall score: 8/10