In a country such as Japan, with the largest percentage of older adults in the world, dealing with the particular age seems like a must, and local cinema has done so repeatedly, usually focusing on the problems these people face. Tetsu Maeda, however, opts for a different approach, which, although mentions the problem, it mostly focuses on the perks. The fact that the story is based on the life of Aiko Sato, an author who is still publishing although she is 100 years old, and who is played by 90-year-old actress Mitsuko Kusabue, definitely helps.
90 Years Old – So What? is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
Aiko Sato is a 90 year-old award-winning writer, who retired from her writing job. Since her retirement, she has lived her life listlessly with her daughter and granddaughter. Middle-aged editor Tachibana seems unable to adapt to the era of political correctness, with his colleagues, and particularly a former junior who eventually becomes his boss, Murata, calling him a dinosaur. In order to save his job, he decides to convince Aiko to start writing again, believing that her wisdom and literally prowess will be a smash hit.
Although reluctant, Aiko eventually agrees to write a column, mostly dealing about her past, and how different life is today compared to when she was growing up. Her column is a success, and Tachibana then asks her to write a book, which she, once more, reluctantly agrees to write. The follow-up novel is a smash, selling over 1.6 million copies across generations and sealing an unlikely friendship between writer and editor. Their path, however, is not exactly paved with roses.
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Tetsu Maeda directs a film based on a novel by Aiko Sato, which actually gives a meta essence to the whole narrative. Apart from that, his effort moves towards two narrative axes. The first one is for Aiko to realize that she still has value and essentially overcome the mild depression she has over her age, and at the same time, show how a woman her age can adapt to the professional setting at the current time. The second revolves around Tachibana, in an approach that follows, funnily, coming-of-age paths, as the middle-aged man is rather self-centered, something that has alienated him from his daughter and has pushed his former wife even further away.
The way both the protagonists change through their interactions is one of the best aspects of the movie, while it is also implemented to show how the industry works nowadays, and the impact online writings have brought in it. At the same time, the portrait of mid-life crisis Tachibana is facing, and the ‘end’ Aiko does (as she perceives it), result in two more realistic comments about people their age.
Their interactions benefit the most from the acting, with Mitsuko Kusabue as Aiko and Toshiaki Karasawa as Tachibana portraying their characters with gusto while exhibiting a wonderful chemistry throughout the movie. The zenith of their performances though, as much as of the movie, comes when the two are bickering and fighting, and the way they make up afterwards, which is truly wonderful to watch.
The cinematography in the film is filled with light and bright colors, mirroring the sense the director wanted to communicate. The editing results in a relatively fast pace, in a rather pleasant approach, since movies that focus on the elderly tend to move slow. This choice adds much to the entertainment the title offers, allowing it to flow rather easily.
“90 Years Old – So What?” stays true to its title, being funny, interesting and entertaining, while communicating its multi leveled comments nicely.
