Ame agaru (1999) Online

This movie feels like a ballade on a forgotten road... Its rythm flows like magic and holds you to the storyline which enfolds peacefully. Its inner beauty is based on simplicity, on discovering what makes our humanity and on some well chosen bits of humor. There is an allmighty feeling of pleasure that emanates from experiencing this movie where nature is breathtaking or just simply here with you. And, when the movie is over, you feel grateful to have walked this path where love still exists. Such a powerful message upon entering our next millenium.

A samurai and his wife search to find happiness with themselves, their relationship, and their station as they weather the disillusion of their past and current circumstances.

Written by Akira Kurosawa and directed by Takashi Koizumi after Kurosawa's death. This is a breathtaking reflection of Kurosawa's early and later storytelling sensabilities. But it is a very complex film, one that upon initial viewing may defy the viewers expectations of the samurai genre and seem simplistic, overly long, or as one reviewer described: unexciting.

This film reminds me very much of Red Beard, another Kurosawa story that while set in feudal Japan is not necessarily a samurai film.

Rating 9/10

I stumbled upon this film by accident and I'm glad I did. The plot is simple, a master-less samurai and his wife are staying at an inn during a rain storm. Everyone is waiting for the rain to end and the river to go down so they can cross. The samurai is a gentle man who tries to help everyone pass the time much to his wife's chagrin. This is a sweet gentle film where nothing much happens and yet we get to know a bunch of very good people and learn a lesson about the value of kindness and honesty. A winner from start to finish.

Kurosawa was very interested in stories about older men facing their destiny. Most of his films from Kagemusha and on deal with this in some way. Ame Agaru is another story that deals with the topic.

Almost like a play at times, Ame Agaru takes it's time and is all the better for it. There are some excellent sword fights and formal duels in the film but they are not the focus of the film. There's a bit of time depicting the main character silently practicing his sword work in the woods that might bore a number of viewers.

Is this a Kurosawa film? Yes, in that I could easily see him directing this story. There are a number of similarities to his last film, Madadayo. No, in that the direction here is sort of mundane. Kurosawa's distinctive eye is missing. There's a TV movie quality that's sort of unusual for a film like this. However, the actors and the story really do carry this film over and while it's not a masterpiece, it's not a waste of time either if you know what you are getting into.

The only way I can describe this movie is Sweet.

It is such a lovely movie in its simplicity. There are no evil schemes and plots. No subplots within subplots with twist and suspense building. No massive production with a cast of thousands. No nasty characters that you hate. It is just a sweet simple story telling about an unemployed man (ronin) and his wife.

This movie made me smile as especially the wives. The wife of the Samurai, Tayo, is incredibly sweet. Same with the wife of the lord. Both play the "character" of the Asian wife...quietly supportive while leading the man to understanding with words of wisdom.

Great minimalistic acting. A Samurai Feel Good movie.

excellent Japanese period piece, co-written by Akira Kurosawa. an out-of-work samurai(a ronin) & his wife are stranded during a flood. as they are unable to cross a swollen river, they stay at an inn with many other stuck traveler's(mostly lower class). to earn some extra money(to to buy "comforts" for the other guests; namely food & wine), our protagonist gambles his fencing skills against the local instructors. they are no match for his superior skills and seek vengeance to restore their honor... not an action movie so much as a human drama, with many colorful & interesting characters. the fighting scenes are realistic & not prolonged & add a disturbing, violent balance to an otherwise slow paced, beautifully shot film. there's a great iai sequence shot in very serene surroundings(for those bu-do aficionados). a must see for those fans of Kurosawa's samurai flicks!!

In this movie set on the rainy season in fudal Japan, A ronin and his wife reach a poor hotel and interact with the guests and the local lord. The character of the ronin is unique. He has fought for money and thus taints himself in the eyes of the local samurai but his heart and care for the people along with his mastery of budo, wins over the lord who is a unique character in his own right. This is not a masterpiece of filming but the characters stay with you and it is a needed diversion from the gruff men we usually meet with the elder Corosowa.

In the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, in the transition period between the luxurious Genroku Era (1688-1703) and the simple Kyocho Era (1716-1735), the ronin – a samurai without a master - Ihei Misawa (Akira Terao) and his sweet wife Tayo Misawa (Yoshiko Miyazaki) are trapped in a very humble inn with very poor guests. The rain does not stop, and the group is unable to follow their journeys, once the water level of the river is too high to be crossed. The good and decent Ilhei goes to a dojo without the knowledge of Tayo and disputes a fight, and with the collected money, he buys food and sake for the starving costumers, making the people very happy. After the rain, in an incident with some locals, he meets the feudal landlord, Lord Nagai Izuminokami Shigeaki (Shiro Mifune), who invites him to be the chief of art of fencing of his warriors, but the envy and proud prevail and Misawa is dismissed from the aimed job. The quiet Tayo decides to present her optimistic and touching viewpoint of what happened to Ilhei.

I was reluctant to see "Ame agaru" due to a wrong expectation and feeling. I believed the director Takashi Koizumi was an opportunist, using the name of Akira Kurosawa to promote himself in his career. How wrong I was! Indeed, "Ame agaru" is a very beautiful and sensitive feel-good movie and a great homage of Takashi Koizumi to his master Akira Kurosawa. The direction is simply perfect; the performances are stunning, with the actors and actresses showing passion, heart and soul in their interpretations, highlighting Akira Terao and Yoshiko Miyazaki; the locations are simple but beautiful; and the lovely story is wonderful, with a magnificent, optimistic and very human message in the end. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Depois da Chuva" ("After the Rain")

One of the most beautiful movies in resent years.

The photography is incredible, the acting excellent, and the main characters are true to life. Even the ending - uncertain - leaves the viewer to provide his own ending

THAT'S how movies should be made!

This film is remarkable for two reasons. It is a study of Japanese culture, and it is a parable about the human spirit.

Although Kurosawa did not direct this, he wrote the screenplay, and his assistant of many years did direct it. It is, however, typical Kurosawa brilliance. As in the Seven Samurai, Kurosawa gently reveals life vignettes of both the common man, ronin, and samurai class people. The care for the common man that Kurosawa shows us has always reminded me of Chaucer. We do not often get to see accurate and non-judgmental portraits of the masses of people whose names never get recorded in history. He also accurately counterpoints, his depiction of the lower classes with vignettes from upper class life and decision-making.

The story itself is simple, but highly enjoyable. The dueling scenes are excellently done, although they lack some of the clash and dash dramatics of typical sword fights from any genre - Western or Eastern. They do appear more realistic. But, the real story is in the people. This is a window to Japanese culture for outsiders, and a window to Japanese historical culture for the Japanese. There are many satisfying moments: the party at the inn, the bokken duels, the duel in the forest, the moment the lord achieves insight into our hero's motivation, and the moment our hero's wife speaks out; all stood out in my mind.

As the characters develop, the conflict we see arise is because our hero is a man who is humble. He is a samurai/Buddhist ideal character, in both his ability, and his humility about it. But he is not a stereotype - he is a very real depiction of the kind of motivation and character you would expect from a person who was slightly outside the normal cultural system of Japan at the time. Kurosawa also examined similar characters and motivation in the Seven Samurai (especially the clown, Mifune's character).

The ending is unresolved, probably to get one to think about the characters actions as the movie ends - the ideal, humble man finding internal happiness, opposed to the typical, driven-to-succeed type who is endlessly chasing his goal.

Director Takashi Koizumi made a beautiful movie in the best Kurosawa tradition, about the relationship between a samurai and his surroundings. These surroundings are both in the personal sphere and in the natural sphere. The story quietly unfolds, about this particular samurai and his wife, temporarily staying in a tavern because of the ever falling rain. He teaches the folks in the tavern how to enjoy life. Then he gets an offer from a Lord to become a teacher at the court in swordfighting. But other swordteachers conspire against him and he doesn't get the job. The result is that his wife understands him better and after the rain has stopped, they travel on as a very happy couple through and in harmony with the beautiful countryside. This movie teaches us about simplicity and about being pleased with the things around oneself.

Ihei Misawa, played by Akira Terao, is a samurai. He is a great warrior, but now that the civil wars are over, he finds himself looking for a place for himself in the world. He and his wife Tayo (Yoshiko Miyazaki) are traveling, looking for a better place for themselves, but they're stranded at a small inn by a flooded river. While waiting for the rain to stop, and the river to go down enough to allow crossing, he tries to help entertain the others at the inn, who are mostly poor. The rain finally stops, and he goes for a walk in the woods, and breaks up a fight between a bunch of rowdy young men. That brings him to the attention of a local lord, who considers him for a job in his castle. That's about as much as I can say about the plot without risking spoilers.

While Ihei Misawa is a samurai, he's also a middle-aged man in a career crisis. What does a samurai do with himself when the wars have ended? He looks for a new career where his skills are still useful. His crisis is just like that of a laid-off worker of today, except for the line of work itself. The local lord, played by Shiro Mifune, also has problems that are still faced by modern people -- many of the people who work for him are incompetent or tiresome. The movie does a great job of telling a story that applies to a modern audience, even though it's set 300 years in the past.

Interestingly, although the movie has conflict, it has no major villain characters. (The rivals are all bit parts.) All of the central characters are basically good people. That's a refreshing outlook.

The movie was written by Akira Kurosawa before he died, and directed by his assistant director of 28 years, Takashi Koizumi, with most of the same regular crew. One of the supporting actors is Shiro Mifune, son of Toshirô Mifune, who starred in many of Kurosawa's movies. So in many ways it's a Kurosawa movie, and there's a substantial dedication to Kurosawa at the beginning of the film.

I saw the movie at a Seattle International Film Festival screening, and director appeared in person. Through an interpreter, he said that Kurosawa's son had persuaded him to direct the movie, with the support of many others who had worked with Kurosawa. He also said that he "asked and forced" the Akira Terao to star.

About Japanese director Koizumi Takashi, it can be said that his life has come to a complete standstill on two different occasions. Firstly, there was absolute shock for him in store when his mentor, Akira Kurosawa died after having written the screenplay of "After the Rain". It was therefore a tough challenge for Koizumi to direct the film exactly in the same manner as Kurosawa Sensei had wished. Secondly, the quiet manner in which his film flows makes all viewers wonder about the complete lack of movement in his film. It is as if stillness pervades the entire film even in those scenes where there is drama and violence. As a film, After the rain is a highly philosophical tale about a samurai who finds his true worth when he becomes a key witness to some of life's harshest hardships. Despite tackling a tough subject, it remains a highly accessible film due to its focus on entertainment and humor.As a minor theme, Koizumi Takashi deftly explores the importance of a woman who is absolutely dependent on her husband for her survival. There is no sign of weakness in the feminine gaze as the female protagonist has been shown as a worthy partner of a man in distress. If acting is something which might interest enthusiastic viewers then they must give due respect to brilliant acting performances by Japanese actors Terao Akira and Miyazaki Yoshiko who are impressive in their roles as Monsieur Le Samurai and Madame La Samurai.

I can't say that I really liked seeing this movie. I didn't dislike it and I am sure I liked the message very much. It was just too long a movie for such a short message.

But the atmosphere of the film is nice, all of it being about casting regrets about the past away, making the most of the present and hoping for a good future. Akira Terao was very good in this movie and now, after seeing it, I can't imagine it with another actor. Shiro Mifune, son of the great Toshiro Mifune, was also of quality acting and borrowed humour and life to the role of the lord.

I won't linger on the subject, I will only say that, even if a samurai movie, the film has very little fights and its idea doesn't really center on them. Some guy here titled his comment Kurosawa Light. Couldn't have said better myself.

I agree with Jose Guilherme, that many of Kurosawa's movies are a little bit tiring, and also that the characters of this movie,Ame agaru are very charismatic.

This movie really made me a surprise,since it's very optimistic, and with a good message, about helping other people and to forget the bad side of the past, to turn into a better person in the future.:)

Also shows the monster of envy, when other fighters are jealous about misawa's habilities and the fact that he is invited to be the Master of all the fighters and warriors of the landlord.

I recommend it to everybody who wants a nice day!:)

After the Rain (or When The Rain Lifts) is a perfect realization of what was to be Akira Kurosawa's last film. It is lovingly directed, acted and produced with such devotion to Kirosawa that it is hard to imagine his vision being much different. If you are a fan of Japanese cinema, Kurosawa's work, Samurai films or just great film in general I highly recommend this film.

There are so many layers to this film. So I can't dissect them all. All I really want to say is, if you are going through a change or hiatus in your employment status, or are unhappy in you work, or even out of work, and are looking for some direction, then this is the film for you. They finished the film on a perfect note, at a perfect moment. When you get to the end, you will see. And if you don't get it, then it wasn't the story for you.

Ame Agaru or After The Rain is really wonderful movie, you can consider this a Samurai movie, but it is more than that, it is movie with heart and soul, i think Akira Kurosawa would be very proud with Koizumi directing of the film. Shooting locations and photography are so beautiful, it gives you that meditative feeling, my favorite parts of the movie were when main character Ihei Misawa goes through forest for walk, Japanese forests are so beautiful and mystical, also love the scene in the inn with local villagers and when they are singing and have fun. There is not so much fight scenes but this few are just amazingly done. Acting in the movie is also superb my favorites are main character played Akira Terao and local lord played by Shiro Mifune. Music is also nicely done. I am recommending this movie to all fans of Japanese cinema, works of Akira Kurosawa and lovers of old Japan.

My grade: 9/10.

After the Rain (Ame agaru) was written by Akira Kurosawa, based on a short story by Shugoro Yamamoto. Kurosawa died after completing pre- production, so his producer son turned to Takashi Koizumi, who worked as Kurosawa's assistant director for years, to direct this film. It was co- produced by a French company, like some of Kurosawa's own works. The movie is dedicated to him in fact.

After the Rain follows Ihei Misawa, arguably one of the most noble and generous samurai heroes ever committed to film. He's joined by his loving wife Tayo as they stay at an inn waiting for rain to stop. As you may know, rainy weather was one of Kurosawa's favorite thematic elements, and it played a different role in each of his films. In this movie, Ihei and Tayo, together with some other travelers, bring a great deal of joy to the poor people stranded at the inn. Rain in this movie may therefore symbolize a life obstacle which can be conquered by good will.

Later, Ihei is asked by a lord, who witnessed his skill, to become a fencing instructor for his clan. The lord's men are jealous of Ihei, and tensions between him and them keep escalating. Finally, the lord's upper retainers tell Ihei that he won't be accepted, making him and Tayo travel away. However, as they walk the area, the lord changes his mind and rushes to find Ihei to make amends, realizing that he just lost a man of great skill. However, the ending doesn't state whether or not he finds him, and I couldn't have it any other way. The film ends with Ihei and Tayo admiring the view and being happy for what they are; whether the lord finds Ihei or not is completely irrelevant and out of the picture. Ihei may have lost the position in the clan, but he still has his wife and his virtues. Obviously, this is a humanist film; the type of movies Kurosawa liked to make the most.

The performances are excellent, and there are some familiar faces, like Tatsuya Nakadai, Mieko Harade (from Ran and Dreams) and Toshiro Mifune's son, Shiro. It's also the first Japanese film I've seen so far where the flashbacks are in black and white; usually they're indiscernible from the main timeline. The cinematography is beautiful and offers great photography of both nature and indoor environments, which are often color-coded in yellowish and greenish shades of brown.

After the Rain is a slow-paced, wonderful humanist movie that in my opinion surpasses some of Kurosawa's main works in its simplicity and mood. It leaves you with a happy feeling afterwards and overall the calming tone of it is enough for me to love it. On a second viewing, this may become one of my favorite samurai movies.

I give this an 8 because it is a small film, one that limits itself to a very small scope in time and space. Its themes, however, are timeless. Virtue and its application to daily life is at the core of this film, and the samurai genre is only a vehicle. Nevertheless, the samurai fighting is beautifully and clearly depicted, and the character of the ronin protagonist is both unusual and admirable.

Samurai films set at the end of the shogunate usually depict the conflict between a warrior ethos and a settled society, and this film is no exception. Our hero, a ronin (samurai without a settled position or master) traveling with his wife, is trapped by weather at a country inn. His interactions with his fellow travelers, all commoners, and the citizens of the rural area where the inn is located, reveal his sterling character. His interactions with the local daimyo (feudal territorial lord) and his retainers show his brilliance as a swordsman and his utter decency as a human being.

If you are a fan of samurai films you will enjoy this one. If you are a fan of good film making, you will love this film.

This movie is great for people who like movies about Japanese samurai. Despite not having much action, it is an engaging film that holds the attention of the viewer.

The story is simple and focuses primarily on the main character. The few fights that are shown have a very good choreography. The acting is decent and the cinematography is one of the strengths. Throughout the film we are blessed with beautiful nature landscapes.

The film has the ideal running time. Even being a little slow sometimes it does not become boring.

7/10

Ame Agaru was one of the most intricate films I have seen so far--not because it had a complicated plot or pieces that fit into a missing puzzle, but because the messages in it conveyed a wisdom that accompanied the life of the samurai. There was little majesty addressed to the fighting lifestyle and code of honour that encompasses the samurai way of living; instead, it focused on the simplicity of the day to day life behind the majesty of such mystic creatures. The film was beautifully directed, the aesthetic of the atmosphere was amazing, the acting had a humble approach that truly reflected the modesty of the wise samurai, and the film's length was just enough to convey the message accurately without going into extraneous details or without being too short. This film addressed the grandeur found even in the stagnant way of living for the samurai, and what I was even more pleased to see was that the film addressed the wisdom of releasing ego and the will to win. Those who sought to win seemed to be self-defeating, and only when the way of the warrior becomes that egoless path can the warrior cross the river after the rain and see where he is going.

I have seen this two days after the exhilarating "Kill", by Okamoto. So ? They both feature a middle-aged ronin with a good heart and an even better sword, inns full of "the good people", poor but industrious, and rather mean and silly clansmen. And pensive wives or wives to be. But Kill is a stylish, funny, irrelevant film, with a wonderful comical Tatsuya Nakadai, whereas Ame agaru fails in almost everything it attempts. The actor playing the ronin has no body tension (all right, that's part of his technique, but it doesn't work on screen. The old master — incidentally played by dear Nakadai — could have taught him a few of his acting tricks.) and there is no chemistry between any of those actors. Shiro Mifune has his papa's voice, but not much more — in this film at least, and the landscapes are filmed with a striking apathy. Worst of all is the drivel about "the good poor people" — so damn condescending. Hadn't Kurosawa had his take on the subject with the great Lower Depths ? And there was no condescension then. For a great film on the Japanese slums (other than Lower Depths, that is), try Humanity and Paper Balloons. And well, feel-good movies are seldom good.

This is a simple film that is carved out of solid wisdom and heart. It is a perfect, great film. At present, it has no American distributor, but if you have any chance to see it bring everyone you know with you. Kurosawa's ghost gets my vote for director of the year.