"Sea Street Diary" is adapted from the manga of the same name by Yoshida Akisheng. Perhaps because of the adaptation, this work is indeed a little different from Hirokazu's previous films. A diary, as the name suggests, is a record of the little things in life. The whole story is not complicated: three sisters who have been dependent on each other in Kamakura by the sea, meet a half-sister whom they have never met due to attending the funeral of their father, and finally live under the same roof.
Judging from the usual logic and perspective of audiences living in the mainland, the first impression is probably too "dog-blooded" and unreasonable fantasy. After all, under the social logic of chasing after the "little three", it is impossible to take the initiative to adopt the "product" of the father who abandoned his wife and daughter who had no emotional foundation. Even if it can, then there must be a sinister intention such as "revenge" hidden. However, as the plot progresses, that preconceived notion will be hit as never before.
The most moving part of the film lies in the understanding of love and the tolerance of emotional changes conveyed by telling stories that are not very "reasonable". After seeing the unaccompanied little sister Xiaoling who is lonely and making the decision to live together, it does not mean that the combination of the four sisters can run smoothly and smoothly. The portrayal of each fragment is actually every little thing in life. Through the accumulation of experiences and the passage of time, each other's emotions have also changed.
In fact, the reason why the eldest sister Yukio, played by Ayase Haruka, decided to accept her half-sister Ling, was largely because she was also someone else's "little third". Such an identity gave her an understanding and tolerance that the other two sisters might not have when facing Xiaoling. But in the heart of the fine sister Suzu, played by Hirose Sisi, she has always felt guilt towards the three older sisters. As a middle school student, she believes that her existence is a mistake, so there is a subtle estrangement hidden in her relationship with her sisters. As for the other two sisters, they also have their own troubles. The love of the second sister Kana played by Masami Nagasawa is always difficult to achieve, and the boyfriend of the third sister Qianjia played by Xia Fan is slightly disabled due to the loss of toes due to the danger of climbing a mountain. But all these misfortunes and knots, under the fermentation of time, gradually opened up to kindness and love, and once again showed an elegant and sincere smile.
A preference for "abnormal" family themes seems to be the norm in Hirokazu-eda's films. From "Walking Nonstop" to "Miracle" to the previous "Like Father Like Son", it was Hirokazu Koreeda who deliberately or unintentionally discussed and created around the family relationship between divorce and blood relatives. Contrary to Kitano's cruel aesthetics, which is accustomed to using jokes and violence as a means, it is Hirokazu Koreeda who is always good at showing the true beauty in less "beautiful" subjects.
I remember going to Taipei early the year before and the first book I bought at Eslite was the traditional version (the simplified version was just published this year) of the prose collection "The Speed of Walking: My Daily Life, Creation and the World", which was just published by Hirokazu Koreeda. Published in February, translated as "the speed of walking"). In the book, it is Hiro and Zeng Mingyan's attitude towards his own filmmaking—an interpretation of everyday life. Therefore, in Hirokazu-eda's films, food, clothing, housing and transportation are often indispensable. What is everyday life? That is of course the basic necessities of life that we humans cannot afford to lose. It may be more appropriate to think of it as a new attitude and way of life rather than just a story.
Beginning with funerals, ending with funerals. The four sisters finally walked and talked on the beach by the Kamakura Sea. Their hearty laughter heralded a new beginning after farewell to sorrow. Just like the Buddha's theory of becoming, abstaining, and deteriorating the void, the mystery of life's transformation is probably like this. In recent years, the new word "small luck" coined by Murakami in his essay collection "Afternoon on Langerhans Island" has become popular. If you need to describe and evaluate "Haijie Diary" concisely, I think this is probably the most appropriate.
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