‘Asura’ Series Review: Hirokazu Kore-eda returns with another messy family drama

A scene from ‘Asur’. , Photo Credit: Netflix Asia/Youtube

If one were to analyze the work of Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, it would be akin to delving into various family albums. With a fascination with families that are less than perfect, she seems to have mastered telling uncomfortable truths in a uniquely gentle way. In his latest Netflix show, Asur, Kore-eda balances this trademark patient story with an ambitious and dramatic twist.

In the winter of 1979, Takiko (Yu Aoi) discovers that her father is having an affair with a younger woman and has a son with her. To deal with this, she gathers her three sisters. Her revelation sets off a series of reactions, with each sister having a different opinion. However, they all seem to agree with their mother’s innocence and attempt to solve it without her knowledge. Later, an anonymous letter in the newspaper details the embarrassing secret, and the sisters suspect each other of betraying the family. Although its message is vague, the letter clearly asks, “Is it really happiness for women like us to live without making a stir?” Kore-eda takes the show forward by depicting the lives of four sisters in response to the question.

Adapted from the same novel by Kuniko Mukoda, which has cemented itself as a drama staple in the Japanese tele-scape with a 1979 NHK drama and film prior to Kore-eda’s revival in 2003, Asura Consisting of seven episodes, spanning several months. News of their father’s infidelity haunts the sisters, takes over the family dinner table, and puts a halt to their romantic relationship. Kore-eda is slow but steady in increasing the family dynamics that create giant women. Eldest sister Tsunako (Rei Miyazawa), a lonely widow, is curious about her father, but holds herself back due to her own prejudices as he is having an affair with her boss’s husband. Housewife Makiko (Machiko Ono) is desperate to turn her back on reality but soon begins to suspect her workaholic husband of seeing other women. While Takiko increases her defenses against the advances shown towards her, youngest sister Sakiko (Suzu Hirose) resolves to ignore the incidents of her amateur boxer boyfriend’s infidelity.

The subject matter of the text gives Kore-eda a chance to venture beyond his comfort zone of subtle allusions and gentle narratives. He takes the opportunity to shift the drama of the script away from the father, as it delves into the lives of the four daughters. This provides him with a larger canvas on which he can examine sexual reactions to infidelity. Their reactions sometimes conform to social norms and sometimes rebel against them. Kore-eda uses her strengths to carefully dissect these characters, to reveal them as daughters who were shaped by their parents. In his hands, each episode is bursting with richness of emotional drama, but his skill in balancing it is best displayed.

Also read:‘Monster’ Film Review: A Truth in Three Acts in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Moral Drama

In Asur, Primarily character-driven dramas, the heroes reflect the seriousness of the script. Helmed by four women, the show also features the best moments shared between four sisters. The show comes alive when the four sisters gather around the dinner table to recall their childhood food memories or engage in playful banter while cleaning up after their father. Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yuu Aoi, and Suzu Hirose display the ability to easily mix in pools of laughs while holding their respective stories tightly. A weaker performance has yet to emerge under Kore-eda’s direction.

Asura is more cheeky, messier, and adventurous than Kore-eda’s previous projects, and sometimes he succumbs to the impulse to explain away certain works as products Of A certain time. This ultimately leads the script to a weak ending. Nonetheless, the Takezawa Sisters are a worthy addition to the Kore-eda family album.

Asur is now available for streaming on Netflix