Tokyo Twilight (1957)

There’s always a bit about Ozu’s family dramas where I feel like I might be losing some of the tension due to the cultural and time divides. The mother who abandoned her family years ago returns to town which causes conflict for her daughters. Set during winter time and touching on some of the less savory aspects of society, it’s darker than many of Ozu’s works. Including deaths, family separations, and abortion amongst its plot lines, there are very few light spots to brighten the narrative. Particularly in the case of the youngest daughter, the story somewhat veers into tragedy porn.