Childish Adults Or Adult Children? Movie Review Sample

There is a saying that silence is gold and evidence of it one may observe while watching masterpieces from Silent Era. One cannot help but notice how loud silent films are. Absence of sound is substituted by magnificent way of narration, director`s technique and acting capacity. I Was Born, but (1932) directed by Yasujiro Ozu is a Japanese representative of silent pieces of art. Skillfully and subtly Ozu presents adult problems, tough struggle in earning money, interpretation of social positions and adjustment and all these things come from children`s perspective. Through the eyes of pure and vulnerable children director conveys two different worlds that are united into one. He draws parallels between world of adults and children`s world showing their similarity and connection. At the end of this picture Ozu reveals children`s entrance into the world of adolescence. With further analyses one may see the transformation and entrance into adolescence along with changes that children undergo during film that unite them with world of adults, thus revealing vises and struggle in society.
In a humorous way Ozu depicts new chapter in life of two brothers Keiji and Ryoichi who together with their family move into another town. Due to their status of freshmen they soon become a target of bulling and mocking. Local children`s gang have their own rules and these two brothers cannot fit in, thus problems in adjustment begin. Light humor and truly childish way of behavior carry not only minor troubles that kids may have on a new place but also reflect adults` issues in coping with life difficulties. Ozu subtly illuminated childish and a bit humiliating for a grown up man ways of achieving specific status and promotion. He draws parallels between Keiji and Ryoichi`s and Mr. Yoshii`s way of ‘surviving’. For example, Ozu shows office workers who are busy doing some important things and then viewer may observe cut of rows in school class where kids are in the same way busy doing something important. These identic cuts show and highlight the same aspects of life that awaits young kids.
Also, Keiji and Ryoichi`s tries to fit in and take some place, preferably leading one, in a children`s gang are similar to their father`s attempts to please his boss by all sorts of childish mockery and jokes. However, these attempts may give a suggestion that they are different from each other but they have more in common than it seems. Light presentation of kid`s ‘promotion’ in the hierarchy of children`s gang hides adult struggle in it to be on particular level and have some decent status in society which again unites kid`s perception of world with adults`.
It should be mentioned that they are not adults yet; however, unconsciously they reflect them but still after Keiji and Ryoichi took leading position in gang they acquired thought that now everything and everyone are equal. They cannot comprehend father`s cautiousness with Taro but everything changes after watching movies in Taro`s home where their perception of life crumbles and falls. Their idol is fake and their whole understanding of life start to change. This revelation tears them out of children`s world and leads into adult one. Only after this horrible realization that their worshiped father is a mocking stock Keiji and Ryoichi are able to change their mind and rethink everything they believed was true and stable. This newly acquired ability to comprehend adult choices and actions is a great step away from childhood and towards adolescence.
All things considered without single word spoken Ozu managed to create a masterpiece that reveals complexity yet simplicity of world. Through the eyes of children director shows adult problems and struggle that are the same as kids have. He showed fight for decent social position and children`s place in it along with Keiji and Ryoichi mental growth.