One of the top movies I've seen recently
Gorgeous and moving. I almost bursted into tears at the end (my girl friend did). Not only does this film have so much value as a social and cultural commentary, the production, story telling and emotional content of this film are all top notch.
What the overview and many reviews don't mention is that this otherwise very unhappy story is interlaced with so much comedic elements and excellent characters (like Yakusho) that it doesn't feel heavy or slow. Also, some reviews describe it as "surreal," but I cannot disagree more. It is about a fairly typical, rather dysfunctional Japanese family, and the movie isn't about the hardship of this family, but rather about a hope that such a family can have despite the hardship.
Not only is this film an official selection at Cannes, this film actually won the Jury Prize, and rightfully so.
Highly recommended.