Sweet Bean (2015)

A gentle-hearted movie about discrimination, starring Kirin Kiki.

This became more of a love letter than a review…

Hirokazu Kore-eda, my #1 Japanese director, introduced me to actress Kirin Kiki in his 2008 movie, 'Still Walking'.

Her supporting roles, as the wise granny, gained eagle wings in my favourite of his, 'After the Storm'. In that, a conversation between her and her daughter at the kitchen table motivated my Kore-da viewing blitz.

She took on small roles in his 'Like Father, Like Son', 'I Wish' and 'Our Little Sister'. The latter was a wonderful small budget movie made during the editing of the big budget 'Shoplifters' (which won so many awards the same year she died at age 75).

Kiki will live on in Kore-eda's movies as her granddaughter also appeared in 'I Wish' and, in a bigger way, as the sibling referred to in the title of 'Our Little Sister'.

Three movies with Kiki were released the year she died, and two the following. She was prolific which made me wonder what she was like earlier. One article included a half-nude picture of her much younger self sitting on her husband’s lap, a rock 'n roller in the Seventies. She left him for 40 years but never divorced i.e., her life may have been as interesting as a movie.

Feeling sentimental, and not wanting to let Kiki go, I watched 'Sweet Bean', her 2015 Asian foodie film for director Naomi Kawase.

It may not be spectacular but gave me the sugar I wanted from the actress. She plays a leper who gets a job making bean paste which is wrapped in pancakes. It's as momentarily feel-good as its title.