When his mother is hospitalized because of a terminal illness, Takeaki begins to question his own existence and starts a psychological and physical conflict with his father. Written and directed by Akihiko Yano, the black and white drama tells about the rebirth of a family.
yes,yes,yes is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
First of all, this is a raw and emotionally challenging film. The topics of death, the meaning of life and family are translated in a raw and strong performance by the actors. Kazuma Uesugi brilliantly plays the main character, who expresses his anger, pain and desperation unfiltered. This is met by the rather calm reaction of his father until he explodes in the ultimate confrontation. „yes, yes, yes“ starts out slowly before it morphs into a series of revelations and confessions. Besides the intense finale, a heartwrenching roof top scene is another highlight. Here, the mother apologises to her husband for being his wife and being such a burden. Scenes like this convey a strong sense of pain and guilt.
A black and white mise en scene radiates the existential crisis of the cast and the cinematography experiments with different angles and reflections. Sequences of empty skies and waves at the beach are empty backdrops waiting to be filled with meaning.
„yes, yes, yes“ is a therapeutic lesson for its characters and the viewer as well. It leaves a sour aftertaste and a strong impression after the relatively short runtime of 74 minutes. Even though the realistic cinematic approach may not be in everyone's favor, the script manages to create a compelling story with a lasting conclusion.
