2015 ‘あん’ Directed by Naomi Kawase
The master of a dorayaki pastry store hires a 76-year-old woman whose talents attract customers from all over. But she's hiding a troubling secret. Life's joys are found in the little details, and no matter what may be weighing you down, everyone loves a good pastry.
Yasuhiro Ota Tetsuyuki Dômae Hideo Fujimoto Masaki Koike Tatsuyuki Kôzen Takeshi Taguchi Jirô Yamaguchi Kazuko Yonezawa
Carsten Richter Roman Dymny Manuel Laval Olivier Goinard Boris Chapelle Marcus Sujata Takayuki Kato Eiji Mori
Poslastica, Ан, Sweet Red Bean Paste, Under kirsebærtrærne, Una pastisseria a Tòquio, An, Les délices de Tokyo, Una pastelería en Tokio
I've only seen 3 films by Naomi Kawase, but it baffles me to see so many people tear apart her work. Her films aren't bad by any means. They're light, pleasant affairs that can sometimes cross over into tedium, but none of what I've seen has been deserving of the scorn thrown her way, like Indiewire publishing an article wondering why Kawase's films keep getting programmed at film festivals. I don't mean to throw down accusations of misogyny and double standards, but I can't think of sites actively questioning why the likes of Ken Loach or Michel Franco get selected at film festivals.
It's all a load of bullshit to me, because in a lot of ways I'd much prefer…
The gentlest of stories which manages still to make a plea for acceptance and understanding. It features a remarkable central performance by Kirin Kiki as a senior citizen, looking for a place in the world, and she comes armed with a recipe for red bean paste. Yet despite this gift, she finds herself a victim of prejudice as long-kept secrets are revealed.
There is so much to like in his film and it unravels at a leisurely pace - like the making of the red bean paste, patience will be rewarded and not everything ends as expected. A wonderful little film, poised and in its own way, quietly powerful.
"I believe that everything in this world has a story to tell. Even the sunshine and the wind, I think you can hear their stories."
I'm absolutely speechless... nothing I could say would do this film justice
Kirin Kiki is marvelous. Just the movie I needed in my life right now. A gentle little drama about the connection between three lonely, damaged people. Each of them just wanting to be seen. Quiet and graceful. Blooming cherry blossoms, trees swaying in the wind, gorgeous closeups of delicious food being cooked, a movie that emanates serene tenderness. The type of film that can make you check yourself, a reminder to be more kind out in the world, that everyone has a story worth telling.
Edit: this review puts it better than I ever could.
Sweet Bean. 2015. Directed by Naomi Kawase
As the rain drops fall into a puddle the camera pans up to the cherry blossoms then, we are shown Sentaro’s (Masatoshi Nagase) restaurant. Business is going so well but, Tokue (Kirin Kiki) drops by and she is 76 years old with large red lesions on her hands. Sentaro is skeptical of hiring Tokue due to her age and inability to move and lift pans. Later she brings him a sample of her adzuki bean paste and he is forever changed.
Poetic story telling of Naomi Kawase is attention grabbing, entertaining, and largely due to the fact that the characters are so relatable. This was life in Japan in a Dorayaki bakers restaurant…
"We too want to live in society where the sun shines"
That's two films in one day injected with the sweet perfume of falling cherry tree blossom. Such a beautiful sight and one I'll never tire of, though I bet it plays havoc with hay fever sufferers.
Sweet Bean is such a wholesome experience and serves as a reminder of the importance of the special older people in our lives. It tells a simple story of a woman with a colourful past, helping a man with an equally interesting background. They support each other, over the seemingly simple act of cooking yummy Dorayaki (Japanese red bean pancakes), but underneath is a deeper need for human connection and the support of…
how to make Sweet Bean:
1. gather the main characters: a man who owns a doriyaki shop, a mysterious, old woman with deformed hands looking for work and a teenage school girl.
2. soak the narrative in stunning and vivid imagery of nature.
3. rinse poor first impressions with empathy and moving depiction of the human condition.
4. boil conflict for 15 minutes (preferably with gossip and uneducated opinions).
5. pour isolation and loneliness. add them 3 separate times. stir your emotions constantly.
6. have a taste of mortality. add salt and water after. you may cry. let this stand however long.
7. put the end gently. you will notice elusive changes. the world may be in a different spectrum of colors. drain your emotions.
* garnish with your own thoughts and serve Sweet Bean to 5 other people
Film reviews in 22 sentences (or less)
Today: Sweet Bean
„A small, reflective and beautiful tale about nature, friendship, discrimination, redemption, youth, illness and death that looks like a poetry coming to life.“
(The Two Cineasts)
Hi everybody, Sweet Bean has a lot more to offer than it meets the eye, far beyond being a film about (preparing) food. Even though this film and the dorayaki will whet your appetite.
It's quite fascinating how An (the original title meaning Bean Paste) absorbed my attention as the storyline that revolves around three loners all drawn together in a dorayaki shop couldn't be simpler, a real slice-of-life with an realistic approach and much to give and share under the fluffy, soft, sweet…
Food movies are usually comforting. Sweet Bean falls into that category but digs a little deeper and turns into a heart-warming one that romanticizes life by giving the audience uplifting messages to enjoy little things.
Despite touching upon topics as dark/sad as taboo around leprosy and craving for youth, a serene vibe is carried throughout the movie through beautiful shots of nature(cherry blossoms, sky, greenery) and of delicious Japanese food.
Tokue's sincerity, patience and kindness is inspiring.... Kirik Kiki as Tokue kills it, no surprises there. I can't believe that it took me this long to watch a Naomi Kawase movie🤦🏻
Sweet Bean is something small. It's a gentle film of kindness, paced slowly in a relaxing manner. At times Sweet Bean has some real food porn, and it's certainly a good-looking film, with a textured feel. It depicts a cynical baker with a hidden past, who crosses paths with an old lady. She returns food-making to traditional methods, making it a part of life, not just a business. Sweet Bean finds little pieces of happiness in people finding fulfillment. The small acts of redemption save the characters. They keep their emotions quietly inside, but have to face prejudice and embrace compassion. Sweet Bean is sentimental to a point where it becomes little more than its emotions. It is vapid in that uniquely arthouse way. Yet it is also a charming little movie and a nice piece of delicate cinema.
