Watches
February 19, 2015
Wakamatsu in survival mode. He was a mad director in the 60s/early 70s, he had a nice post-2000 comeback, but all he did in between feels a little troubled and unsure. Endless Waltz is a film with potential, a drama where Wakamatsu's hand could've made a bigger difference, but in the end, it's mostly just oeuvre filler.
Suzuki is a popular writer. When her husband passes away, her publisher asks her to write his memoirs. He was a gifted jazz musician, but a lone soul who held his own beliefs and never felt truly understood. Their relationship was turbulent, so Suzuki isn't too sure she wants to revisit their past.
The drama is relatively simple, and the outcome is rather predictable, but the flashback structure adds some complexity. With Wakamatsu behind the camera, don't expect a soft-voiced drama. Things get pretty rough between the two protagonists, but it's nothing like his earlier work. Not a bad film, but not a very memorable one either.