Love Life

Kôji Fukada (“Goodbye Summer”, “Harmonium”) once again perfectly balances melodrama and subtlety in this resonant tale out of Japan, in which a tragic accident sends a multigenerational family scrambling to find love, purpose, and connection in any way possible. —M.G.

As a divorced woman with a child from a previous marriage, Taeko has never been accepted by her new husband’s family. And while her husband Jiro accepts and loves Taeko’s son Keita as his own, the family walks a tense fine line. After a devastating accident that throws Keita’s estranged father, Park, back into the mix, that line becomes even smaller. As a deaf Korean immigrant with mental health issues, Park has been living on the streets for years. And although they have a difficult history, Park is the only person who can truly understand Taeko’s grief in the aftermath of tragedy. Set in contemporary Japan, LOVE LIFE is a tender family drama about love, loss, and forgiveness. —G.S. 

Content Warning: This film contains material that may be difficult for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.