The Taste of Tea (2004)

Lack of good storyline.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

The Taste of Tea tells a charming story of an unconventional Japenese family, the Haruno's, with characters as likable as they are eccentric; Hajime (Takahiro Sato), a shy teen with an unrequited love and a developing case of "female phobia." Sachiko (Maya Banno), a little girl with a 40 foot imaginary twin. Ayano (Tadanobu Asano), an uncle with his share of interesting stories. Grandpa Akira (Tatsuya Gashuin), a Manga posing old man with a unique spin on hide and seek. Taste of Tea features all these rich characters, as well as a psychiatrist father (Tomokazu Miura),an artistic mother (Satomi Tezuka), and an flamboyant uncle in a wide array of well-constructed vignettes that range from hilarious, to sad, to outright beautiful.Leisurly paced, Director Ishii is in no hurry in telling the story(ies) of the Haruno's. At 143 minutes, Taste of Tea might test some people's patience, particularly those who watch Japanese films for the exploitative nature of Asian Cinema might be disappointed. But those who possess the fortitude, will be greatly rewarded by scenes such as hilarious "Mountain Song" and the Super Big Screening. However, the film's emotional payoff features one of the most bittersweet moments contained in any film, of any country. It is sure to move many viewers to tears... myself included.As important as Ishii's direction, is the ensemble casts performance. Everyone does a great job here, particularly Asano, who steals any scene he's in (obviously), and Tatsuya Gashuin stands out as the wonderfully comical Grandpa. That being said, the sum of the whole is greater than it's parts, as everyone in this film is wonderfully casted and portrayed. There really aren't any week links in terms of acting, which helps create interesting, vibrant characters which is crucial to this type of film, and under Ishii's competent direction, the result is pure cinematic magic.The cinematography and score are also integral to Taste of Tea and it doesn't disappoint. Achingly beautiful filmed landscape shots, combined with a subtle and reserved score help set the film's emotional nature. Constantly changing with the film, evolving as the characters grow and change. Cinematographer Kosuke Matushima and composer Tempo Little hold their own with Ishii's direction and the casts performances to create a touching film of immense beauty. As quirky as it is brilliant, A Taste of Tea reminds the viewer of the beauty of life, family, and the awkward little moments we all endure, but never really truly appreciate till afterward. A masterpiece of Japanese cinema, Katsuhito Ishii cements his reputation as one of the most interesting directors of modern Japanese Celluloid. After directing the wildly entertaining Shark Skin Man, and the brilliant family drama Taste of Tea, one hopes we can expect wonderful things from him in the future.

Family movies. I’m not talking about the Disney or Pixar variety but the family ensemble film, depicting the various lives of an often eccentric clan from the inside out. While Ingmar Bergman’s “Fanny and Alexander” and Yasujiro Ozu’s “Tokyo Stories” are hailed as the standards, Katsuhito Ishii provides his take on the genre with a most accessible and surprising piece of cinema: “The Taste of Tea.” Probably best known in the U.S. as the guest director of the anime segment in Kill Bill vol.1, Ishii has written and directed films (“Party 7” and “Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl”) that feature outrageous gangsters influenced by Tarantino, Japanese Manga and Anime, and the Hong Kong gun-fu flicksYou can imagine the level of expectations Ishii encountered when he introduced “The Taste of Tea” to the unsuspecting public – all low - whether you were familiar with his work or underwhlemed by the title. Ishii reveals in his third movie outing that he has grown as a filmmaker and much like the clichéd franchise films of the ‘80s – this time it’s personal.We are introduced to the Haruno family, living pastoral lives in their cozy, open-air home in the country. But underneath the placid surface each member of the family faces their own demons.Teenage son Hajime (a hilarious Takahiro Sato) takes the Jason Biggs role of the obsessive, horny Romeo who longs for love as seen with his frequent pillow and blanket dry-humping.Mother (Satomi Tezuka) runs the household while working on her dream Anime epic.Father (Tomokazu Miura) fights the malaise of work by using his hypnotherapy skills on his family.Grandad (Tatsuya Gashuin) provides the non-stop laughs at the expense of his unibrow, his childlike quirkiness, his tendency to sing about whatever he sees, and unfortunately his senility. The restless uncle (The Japanese Johnny Depp - Tadanobu Asano) is a talented record producer who somehow is sidetracked by a lack of closure in his life.Finally, little Sachiko (an adorable Maya Banno)cannot concentrate at school or home because of a bizarre recurring haunting: a gigantic 60-foot image of herself.Immediately we’re brought into Ishii’s surreal world with David Lynch (“Twin Peaks”) / Pierre Jeunet (“Amelie”) visuals that add to the inner conflicts of each family member. And love is what you’ll feel for the characters that you’ll come to know. Ishii never has to rely on melodrama to get us to sympathize with their individual plights. It’s all in the details. You hope against reason that they can all achieve their dreams. Not because they’re so wacky, so eccentric, or even lovable, but as strange as these characters are Ishii reveals a humbling moment which brings the character back to earth and into our hearts. See the movie with someone you really care for.

I watched this film as part of a sort of "move binge" I was having and as such the true beauty of the film was somewhat dulled in my mind as I went directly from watching one movie, to watching it, to watching another. However, after reflecting on it and then watching it a second time I really can say that this movie is quite good. As many others that have commented have mentioned, it's not particularly "exciting" in a traditional movie sense; but the aesthetic quality of the scenes, along with the superb acting job done by the main characters and the creativity of the story make it a very good film. The reason I chose to watch the film in the first place was largely due to the fact that I'm a big Tadanobu Asano fan and I saw he was in it. He isn't really that major of a character in the movie (no one really is) so don't expect any kind of outstanding performance from him. Don't get me wrong, he plays his role very well, but everyone's role in the film is somewhat muted, as that is the overall mood of the film in a way.

When watching this film (which everyone should), try not to take it too seriously. Try not to search for some elaborate plot. Just sit back, open your eyes, and enjoy the sights on screen. I promise you, if you enjoy expanding your horizons looking at images of art, then this film is for you.I found that in this film, if you were to freeze frame it at any point, you could post up the image in an art gallery as a work of art. It is not just the beautiful cinematography, but the complex, wondrous, awe-inspiring images that are put on screen that make this movie so good.On top of all that we have a collection of characters who are, themselves, pieces of art, whose idiosyncrasies and hilarity will have you amused from start to finish. Don't take them too seriously and don't try to look too deep for any hidden meanings. Take them for what they are and the things they make you think about.A truly great film, recommended for all.