Mountain Bikes, Bass Guitar, and other stuff I like

Here's a thoughtful, easy-paced film about a dysfunctional Japanese family dealing with the loss of one of their sons, who died trying to rescue a swimmer fifteen years ago. The film is not overly depressing, as one would expect, but instead gives us pause to reflect on things that really matter in our lives. It's not clear if the family's dysfunction was present before or after the tragedy. There's a familiarity to the story, in that Japanese films tend to deal with death and how it affects the family rather straightforwardly and without melodrama. Such is the case in Tokyo Story by one of Japan's greatest filmmakers, Yasujiro Ozu. Each family member is dealing with this death in their own way. The father, has shut himself off from everyone. The mother nervously chatters about the house with her daughter, perhaps not knowing how to express grief. The one most affected is the brother, who has palpable guilt and regret. He is ashamed for not becoming a do...