Line of Events
Tatsuo and his daughter Haru run the Takano Tofu shop in Onomichi
When Tatsuo learns that she is sick, he fears that his daughter will be alone, and without her knowing, he sets out to find a match for Haru. With the magnetic presence of veteran Tatsuya Fuji (Empire of the Senses), the plot here could (and has) filled several family dramas…
Director/screenwriter Mitsuhiro Mihara’s 2023 father-daughter drama is a bit harsh to compare to Yasujiro Ozu’s family drama classic
Read all. Centering on Tatsuo, an elderly tofu guru in Onomichi, and his single, devoted daughter Haru, Mihara clearly channels Ozu’s ‘Late Spring’ and ‘Early Summer’ in capturing the specificity of their close relationship.
The comedic moments felt like a completely different film than it should have been
The plot picks up steam as everyone finally finds their future spouse, but not before the required number of comedic scenes with the usual ones are spread out a bit too widely. However, screen veteran Tatsuya Fuji plays Tatsuo with nothing but wry elan, and Kumiko Aso is attentively supporting as Haru.
For a similarly touching film about the artistry behind unique Japanese food, I recommend watching Naomi Kawase’s 2015 film An (Sweet Bean)
Fuji’s scenes with Kumi Nakamura as a sick old woman were captivating, although the A-bomb bond felt like there was more to the film.