A Shift of Expectations

At about 1:11:30, Shukishi is drinking in a bar with friends after being kicked out of his children's house. His friend, the former police captain, complains about how he raised his child to do better than he is, and even get's so upset about the situation that he confesses to often lying to others in order to make himself look better. The police captain asks Shukishi, concerning his children and how he raised them, "you're satisfied?" Shukishi answers that he is not, and even is disappointed after seeing where his children have ended up,  "but we can't expect too much from our children." Shukishi acknowledges times are changing , and asks his friend to see that as well. Even if his son has changed, he is still trying to be understanding that things are different in Tokyo. Despite being seemingly neglected by his own children, Shukishi is not bitter.


Later in the movie, once Tomi and Shukishi leave Tokyo to return home, Tomi falls ill. At about 1:29:11 Kiezo is shown talking to a coworker about his mother. In this conversation, Kiezo only seems to be annoyed at the aspect of having to care for his mother, saying things like  "what a bother" while his coworker seems to show genuine concern for his mother's condition. Kiezo's coworker tells him to take good care of her due to her age, and quotes a saying "Be a good son while your parents are alive." Kiezo recognizes the saying and responds with the next part of it "none can serve his parents beyond the grave." Kiezo's mood throughout the seem seems off, he is complaining of taking care of his parents, and seems to recite the words of the saying without much, with a laugh afterwards. 

Both these scene's suggest that no one person in the movie is "right" or "wrong," but rather we all need to shift our expectations, as children ond parents, and appreciate what we have before it is gone.

Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshNovember 3, 2021 at 10:16 PM

    You're suggesting not a "lowering" of expectations (i.e., "being more realistic") but a "shifting"? This is interesting. Perhaps a shift from demanding, requiring, to sympathizing and understanding? So that one can still feel disappointment, but the feeling doesn't dominate any more.

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