NYAFF is now in its 23rd edition, running from July 12th until the 28th. Several films have explored the world of the elderly, such as Granny Prostitutes, but there’s another movie that takes a more playful twist on third age.
90 Years Old – So What? is based on the best-selling essay book that sold over 1.75 million copies and 90 year-old actress Mitsuko Kusabue plays the protagonist. The irascible Aiko Sato (Mitsuko Kusubue), is one of Japan’s most lauded authors, having won several literary awards throughout her career. Now at 90 years of age, as a retired writer, she is pervaded by depression, as her daughter — Kyoko Sugiyama (Miki Maya) — and granddaughter — Momoko Sugiyama (Sawako Fujima) — try to perk her up. The old lady has adamantly set writing aside, until a melancholic and embittered editor — Shinya Yoshikawa (Toshiaki Karasawa) — convinces her to write one more book. This new project will turn out to be therapeutic for both parties, as Aiko finds a new purpose in her life and the middle-aged man — Shinya Yoshikawa (Toshiaki Karasawa) — will have to confront the sorrow he brought to his wife, who is asking for a divorce after 20 years of marriage — Mariko Yoshikawa (Tae Kimura) — and his adolescent daughter, Miyu Yoshikawa (Runa Nakashima).
The screenplay written by Satomi Ôshima, and rendered by the directorial take of Tetsu Maeda, manages to depict the bittersweet moments in life of several generations: the elderly, the middle-aged and the youngsters. Functional and dysfunctional families are portrayed, ultimately to show how inner peace is the goal to pursue, to make amends with those we love.
The storytelling of the dramedy is engaging as it intertwines flashbacks of Aiko Sato’s life with her present. Thus, we observe how she lived during World War II and the way she spent her childhood days fetching water from a well, using a bucket. When a pump was installed everyone was overjoyed for the way it made the entire process easier and less fatiguing. There are also remembrances of her dog Hachi, named after the Shibuya Akita, that Aiko saved as a puppy, from the attack of a fox in Hokkaido, and brought him with her all the way to Tokyo. The style in which these flashbacks are expressed is diversified, ranging from black and white footage to a colourful, grainy reel.
Above all in 90 Years Old – So What? is the celebration of self-affirmation. The film is a resolute statement against ageism, and all the prejudices that come with it. One of them concerns shutting the elderly away in quiet places, on the contrary Aiko Sato claims how she enjoys some small noise, because “a town should bustle with sounds of daily life.” Being around people is a great source of motivation, as she reiterates: “Simply interacting with the world around you, gives you the will to live.” Even though many of her friends and peers have passed away — as she says “longevity is not all fun and games” — she discovers that after a 63-year career in writing she has more words in her quill to spill out.
She may not be tech savvy: in the era of smart phones she still uses a chord landline, and needs help to make the fax work. But her new book is for all ages. In fact, once it’s published readers love it and it quickly becomes a bestseller.
The motion picture is a life-affirming example that will inspire audiences. The protagonist of 90 Years Old – So What? proves that there is no expiration date for new dreams and unexpected accomplishments. The nonagenarian, who was born in the year of the boar, shows how her irrepressible spirit is key to her intellectual spark and acute social dissection, which she conveys in what makes her the happiest…writing.
Final Grade: B+
Photos Courtesy: Aiko Sato/Shogakukan
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