Our Little Sister review: “This is perfect drama.”

Our Little Sister review: Presents us with a number of quiet stories unfolding like a modern day Ozu.

Saying that Hirokazu Koreeda’s latest is great should go without saying. Koreeda pumps out brilliant films as though it was nothing more than a natural reflex. Emblazoned with a loving sense of realism – even for his more fantastical efforts such as After Life and Air Doll – Koreeda delves into engaging tales of love and family like no other. Our Little Sister is the third consecutive film from Koreeda this decade that deals with family ties. Previously he has warmed our hearts with a tale of brotherly love in I Wish, before looking at complex bonds between fathers and sons in Like Father, Like Son. Now it’s the turn of sisters in Our Little Sister.

Sachi (Haruka Ayase) is the head of a three sister household. As the eldest she oversees the home of herself, her drink and boy loving sister Yoshino (Masami Nagasawa), and the quirky Chika (Kaho). They have a special bond, and as Chika eloquently puts it “They fight a lot, but agree when it matters.” Upon hearing of the death of their estranged father they take the trip to attend his funeral where they meet their 13 year old half sister, Suzu (Suzu Hirase) for the first time. Their father left their mother and them for another woman 13 years ago, but despite this they are determined to build a relationship with their younger sister and so invite her to come and live with them.

Despite being set-up for melodrama aplenty, it will come as no surprise that Koreeda is subtler and more mature than many of his contemporaries. The film is quite episodic, moving Suzu in with her sisters rather quickly and then charting her new home life. It’s not about Suzu though, as instead we follow individual stories of the sisters. Koreeda is more interested in examining his protagonists as individuals, rather than how they affect each other. It presents us with a number of quiet stories unfolding like a modern day Ozu. There’s Suzu adapting to life in a new school with new friends, Yoshino and her relationship and promotion, Chika acting as the glue between the girls, and Sachi dealing with her hypocritical act of falling in love with a married man.

The film has true heart that makes itself known in a non-judgemental way. Each character is fleshed out with understanding opinions while we also get to see the flipside of it all. This is most apparent when the mother of the older three sisters returns and awkwardness arises between her and the daughter of her ex-husband. The film is never saccharine though, and everything comes across in a matter-of-fact way. It’s easy to see, via the wonderful performances, that characters are feeling and thinking things without having to say them.

Speaking of performances, every single one is a thing of beauty. The four sisters are perfectly cast and there is very clear chemistry between them. Certain facial expressions seem reserved for their interactions with one another. They are the kind of looks only very close friends and family share. This also helps create a world outside the film, where we can easily imagine their lives prior to the film starting.

Mikiya Takimoto returns as Koreeda’s cinematographer and once again captures glorious interiors and exteriors. Shots bring alive everywhere, from the plum tree garden to the diner famed for its mackerel. This is perfect drama, with laughs and tears. The script may not have a very clear focus, but that is also part of its charm. Koreeda cemented himself as an amazing talent some years ago, but now he is in a league with some of Japan’s greatest and most classical filmmakers.

Our Little Sister review by Luke Ryan Baldock, October, 2015.

Our Little Sister screened at the BFI London Film Festival.