Review by: Andrew Chan FCCA AACTA FIPRESCI
Review Date: 18th December 2013

Director: Shin Togashi
Writer: Sugako Hashida, Kota Yamada
Starring: Kokone Hamada, Aya Ueto, Goro Inagaki, Pinko Izumi, Kayoko Kishimoto

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Japanese are master of melodrama and “Oshin” only continues this trend. Quite often films of these sort requires an overlong opening sequence before it slowly grows onto you. “Oshin” does not need this, as it grips your attention from the opening moment and rather than building up to a crescendo, the film is constantly engaging and equally heartfelt.

Kokone Hamada is absolutely superb as the 7 year old kid being thrown in the deep end to learn everything about life that most of us are still striving towards in our adulthood. Aya Ueto shows precisely how much sacrifice a mother, woman and wife needs to make without grieve back in the time. While Pinzo Izumi is wonderful as the head of a rich family, being the knowing grandmother who understands the importance of reason and full picture in the grand scheme of things.

Life is never easy, gender roles, life and death, war and peace, family, servant and master and ultimately growing up. Director Shin Togashi leaves no stones unturned as every themes being touch upon engages the audience in an universal manner. Films like these have a rare humane quality to it. In face of adversity we always asks ourselves why do we bother doing this and that. However, there is something we can take away from all that “Oshin” has endured as the scene showing her walks off smiling in the background so explicitly shown to us. Perhaps telling us all that there is always positive in whatever situation we are facing. It is a way of thinking, but sometimes, it is all that we need.

I rated it 8/10

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