Tokyo Koen is listed on the website in the ‘Tear Jerker’ section, but I don’t think this really does it justice. Perhaps this comes down to definitions – I think of tear jerkers as being silly films that are overly sentimental or bordering on sadtacular. Tokyo Koen doesn’t fit any of these definitions. It is a drama with some romance that explores the complexities of several seemingly straightforward lives.
Koji is a student and aspiring photographer who takes candid photos of families in the parks of Tokyo. One day, he is approached by a man who pays him to follow and photograph one specific woman and her child. Meantime, he is dealing with his day-to-day life with his friends and family and all that this entails.
Personally, I wasn’t overly satisfied with much of the resolution in this film, but like life, things can go different ways than you anticipate. Still, it was a gentle look into life in Tokyo.
Tokyo Koen screens at ACMI Mon Dec 3 at 8:30pm
ireckonthat 