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Blessed with timeless humanity, grace, and heartbreaking compassion,Ikiru is one of the most moving dramas in the history of film. Legendary director Akira Kurosawa is best remembered for his samurai epics, but this contemporary masterpiece ranks among his greatest achievements, matched in every respect by the finest performance of Takashi Shimura's celebrated career. Shimura, who nobly led theSeven Samurai two years later, is sublimely perfect as a melancholy civil servant who, upon learning that he has terminal cancer, realizes he has nothing to show for his dreary, unsatisfying life. He seeks solace in nightlife and family, to no avail, until a simple inspiration leads him to a final, enduring act of public generosity. Expressing his own thoughts about death and the universal desire for a meaningful existence, Kurosawa infuses this drama with social conscience and deep, personal conviction, arriving at a conclusion that is emotionally overwhelming and simply unforgettable.--Jeff Shannon
A classic masterpiece This is a wonderful humanistic film, brilliantly directed and acted. Even though Japanese culture and attitudes pervade the story and the characters, it still manages to be universal. The movie is split into two parts; the first part while Watanabe is living, the second part after he has died. At first, I wasn't sure that I liked this approach, as various people would talk about him and there would be flashbacks. But the overall effect of this approach is powerful and moving, and it is almost revelatory in the same way that hearing what people say about yourself after you have died would be revelatory. Watanabe represents that part of the human spirit that can be noble and joyful, although sometimes a bit too late, like when you have only a few months to live. I wouldn't say that this movie inspired me to live a happier life, but it sure does make you think.
A true masterpiece of world cinema I'd say the film is more an answer to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington than to It's Wonderful Life as the plot scenters a man's final efforts, shortly before he will die of cancer, to regain his huamnity and use his bueracratic office to build a park in an unlightly urban area. hardly a melodrama or weepie, this very moving, thoughtful film takes a highly unusal narrative turn about two/ thirds of the way, and Kurosawa explores both critical nad celebratory views of the hero, Watabanbe's successful efforts to get the park bult. The last third of the fim is informed by an unsentimental realism that goes far beyond much of hte darkest cynicism of of Hollywood film noir. But the final shot, which recalls an earlier beuatiful shot of the film, holds out some hope even while aknowledging that there is little hope that things will change or than one man's efforts will change anything again. It's a long film, but my wife and I found extremely engaging. This extremely memorable film is a treasure, and I am grateful to Criterion for releasing it on sucha splendid DVD.Honest and Affirming Yes, it was slow paced. But so is death. The pacing was intentionally labored to accentuate Kanji Watanabe's struggle. Overall the film was good but not perfect. There were a few scenes that needed some editing, like the wake seen. But this hardly kept the film from conveying its life affirming message. Others have compared Ikiru to It's A Wonderful Life. This is a reasonable comparison, but Ikiru is more philosophical and abstract. And thankfully, for its sake, Jimmy Stewart isn't in it. Anyway, if car rollovers and pyrotechnics are your thing, you will not appreciate Ikiru. But if you want to see a touching and emotional story about the struggles of an honest man, look no further.
