Cinema’s relationship with the subject of food is a complex one which is loaded with symbolism, much of it sexual. Food in film commonly serves as a connection between people (as in I Am Love, The Lunchbox and numerous others). Here, however, food is a bridge to the traditions of the past. As such, Naomi Kawase’s subtle study of the relationship between an ailing elderly woman Tokue (veteran actress Kirin Kiki) and Sentarô (Masatoshi Nagase), a pancake vendor who grudgingly employs her, reminded me a little of Abdellatif Kechiche’s family drama Couscous.
The deceptive simplicity of this intimate, handsomely photographed picture parts like curtains to reveal something a little more knotty. What at first seems to be a reaction against the acceleration of contemporary culture – Tokue sweats long, painstaking hours every morning coaxing unforgiving aduki beans into the sweet bean paste which becomes a local sensation – later serves as a window on to a less palatable element of Japan’s past. There are moments when the generally excellent Kirin Kiki slightly overdoes the adorable granny shtick. But for the most part, the quality of the dignified, understated performances here prevents the picture from tipping into cloying sentimentality.
