GOODBYE, GRANDPA!


Japan, 2017, 110 minutes, Colour.
Yukino Kishii.
Directed by Yukihero Morigaki.

This is a Japanese film designed especially for the sensibilities of the Japanese audience. Those not familiar with Japanese culture may find themselves somewhat distanced by the characters, their attitudes and behaviour.

The film concerns the death of the grandfather of the family. His young granddaughter who is the centre of the response to his death is engaged in a sex activity with her boyfriend when the news comes of his death – making her feel guilty throughout the film, eventually talking this over with the young Buddhist priest who attends the cremation ceremony.

She informs her father, a somewhat rough and brutal man, who then responds to his business and in brother who looks assured but has had failure in his life, especially with his job and his wife leaving him. Both of the sons have a son and a daughter each, the son is rather reclusive, the central figure and her cousin who is a high school girl, rather precocious, especially in her cigarette smoking.

The wife of the dead man, dead at 84, has been suffering dementia, a somewhat rough character, behaving embarrassingly, but eliciting some sympathy from the relatives and the audience.

Arrangements are made for the funeral, the two brothers argue, literally fight. They try to make contact with their younger sister, born much later than they were, a miracle baby, who has not been seen for decades.

The funeral arrangements are made for a cremation, everybody turns up after some difficulties, even with clothes, and the ex-wife stating she was not involved and leaving her children at the ceremony.

The family are fairly secular in their attitudes and behaviour but are nominal Buddhists, employing the monks to lead some prayer and respect. So, there are prayer sessions, there is the farewell, the cremation. There is also a dinner at which all gather. And all the time there is a whole lot of rather mundane bickering which may or may not cover up deeper feelings. It is the central daughter who keeps reflecting on the situation and trying to find deeper meanings.

The young monk has some helpful conversation with her but the older monk is seen racing to the car leaping with joy at the financial donations.

There is also an amount of drunkenness, some bad memories, accusations about love, lack of love for the grandfather, care for the grandmother and her being put into care.

The young daughter has a fantasy where there are fireworks and each member of the family is destroyed as they dance in procession.

Further difficulties, one car breaks down, the occupants running to find the other, their eventually meeting, the meal, harsh words, apologies, confessions.

When the young daughter meets her boyfriend, engages with some more sexual activity in the car, a seeming remedy and reconciliation for her to understand what has gone on.

More for Japanese sensibilities.