After the Rain (1999) User Reviews

a sweet movie.

[mmushrm · 9/10 · 10 February 2011]

The only way I can describe this movie is Sweet.

It is such a lovely movie in its simplicity. There are no evil schemes and plots. No subplots within subplots with twist and suspense building. No massive production with a cast of thousands. No nasty characters that you hate. It is just a sweet simple story telling about an unemployed man (ronin) and his wife.

This movie made me smile as especially the wives. The wife of the Samurai, Tayo, is incredibly sweet. Same with the wife of the lord. Both play the "character" of the Asian wife...quietly supportive while leading the man to understanding with words of wisdom.

Great minimalistic acting. A Samurai Feel Good movie.

"Quiet" samurai film

[ChungMo · 8/10 · 14 April 2007]

Kurosawa was very interested in stories about older men facing their destiny. Most of his films from Kagemusha and on deal with this in some way. Ame Agaru is another story that deals with the topic.

Almost like a play at times, Ame Agaru takes it's time and is all the better for it. There are some excellent sword fights and formal duels in the film but they are not the focus of the film. There's a bit of time depicting the main character silently practicing his sword work in the woods that might bore a number of viewers.

Is this a Kurosawa film? Yes, in that I could easily see him directing this story. There are a number of similarities to his last film, Madadayo. No, in that the direction here is sort of mundane. Kurosawa's distinctive eye is missing. There's a TV movie quality that's sort of unusual for a film like this. However, the actors and the story really do carry this film over and while it's not a masterpiece, it's not a waste of time either if you know what you are getting into.

A one-of-a-kind Samurai film..!!

[samxxxul · 8/10 · 5 July 2020]

A drama by Takashi Koizumi from a scenario written by "Akira Kurosawa" shortly before his death and made as a tribute to him, No where near as good as it would have been with Kurosawa behind it but fine nonetheless, especially the cinematography which was gorgeous. Any fan of Akira Kurosawa will want to see this. The mixture of calm cinematographic techniques and a few more dynamic elements is perfectly balanced. It was a roller-coaster of emotion, but still left me feeling happy despite some of the more dramatic events. It's the ultimate underdog story of tragedy, triumph, and even a few laughs and there are too many shots worth recalling, too many details worth recalling. If you want a peaceful and beautiful samurai film, do yourself and your immortal soul a favour; this movie is for you, would really recommend it, this one is a lesser known Japanese gem.

A Great piece of Directing, ScreenWriting and Acting

[suzelB · 10/10 · 26 October 1999]

This movie feels like a ballade on a forgotten road... Its rythm flows like magic and holds you to the storyline which enfolds peacefully. Its inner beauty is based on simplicity, on discovering what makes our humanity and on some well chosen bits of humor. There is an allmighty feeling of pleasure that emanates from experiencing this movie where nature is breathtaking or just simply here with you. And, when the movie is over, you feel grateful to have walked this path where love still exists. Such a powerful message upon entering our next millenium.

A favorite film

[dbborroughs · 10/10 · 14 February 2004]

I stumbled upon this film by accident and I'm glad I did. The plot is simple, a master-less samurai and his wife are staying at an inn during a rain storm. Everyone is waiting for the rain to end and the river to go down so they can cross. The samurai is a gentle man who tries to help everyone pass the time much to his wife's chagrin. This is a sweet gentle film where nothing much happens and yet we get to know a bunch of very good people and learn a lesson about the value of kindness and honesty. A winner from start to finish.

Incredible and powerful film - but not necessarily a samurai film

[sir_dancelot · 3 August 2003]

A samurai and his wife search to find happiness with themselves, their relationship, and their station as they weather the disillusion of their past and current circumstances.

Written by Akira Kurosawa and directed by Takashi Koizumi after Kurosawa's death. This is a breathtaking reflection of Kurosawa's early and later storytelling sensabilities. But it is a very complex film, one that upon initial viewing may defy the viewers expectations of the samurai genre and seem simplistic, overly long, or as one reviewer described: unexciting.

This film reminds me very much of Red Beard, another Kurosawa story that while set in feudal Japan is not necessarily a samurai film.

Rating 9/10

A samurai movie with heart.

[ransuru · 10/10 · 2 June 2003]

In this movie set on the rainy season in fudal Japan, A ronin and his wife reach a poor hotel and interact with the guests and the local lord. The character of the ronin is unique. He has fought for money and thus taints himself in the eyes of the local samurai but his heart and care for the people along with his mastery of budo, wins over the lord who is a unique character in his own right. This is not a masterpiece of filming but the characters stay with you and it is a needed diversion from the gruff men we usually meet with the elder Corosowa.

a humanitarian movie

[whatdoes1know · 7/10 · 7 November 2001]

Ame Agaru, though scripted by master Kurosawa, and like many of his other movies, based on a short story by Yamamoto Shugoro, just doesn't work. The Kurosawa crew is the same, thus the cinematic beauty remains, but being on master Kurosawa's footsteps doesn't make Koizumi Takashi a Kurosawa Akira. Master Kurosawa was a war hawk, and his battlefield was the set. If he wanted a slope where there was none, his crew mounted the dirt and built the slope to suit his visions. If a whole field of wheat had to be hand-painted in gold, the crew went out there and spent the day preparing for a shot. Master Kurosawa could single out and yell at an extra in a mob scene of battling feudal warriors for not falling correctly, like a dying samurai would. With all the good intentions with which Ame Agaru was made, it does not have the edge at which master Kurosawa yanked his actors. The actors in Ame Agaru are all fine actors, but they are not the fierce soldiers led by general Kurosawa. Instead, they are the humanitarian souls who volunteered to come help victims long after the general was gone and the war was over.

Beautiful and Sensitive Feel-Good Movie – A Great Homage to Master Akira Kurosawa

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 2 September 2005]

In the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, in the transition period between the luxurious Genroku Era (1688-1703) and the simple Kyocho Era (1716-1735), the ronin – a samurai without a master - Ihei Misawa (Akira Terao) and his sweet wife Tayo Misawa (Yoshiko Miyazaki) are trapped in a very humble inn with very poor guests. The rain does not stop, and the group is unable to follow their journeys, once the water level of the river is too high to be crossed. The good and decent Ilhei goes to a dojo without the knowledge of Tayo and disputes a fight, and with the collected money, he buys food and sake for the starving costumers, making the people very happy. After the rain, in an incident with some locals, he meets the feudal landlord, Lord Nagai Izuminokami Shigeaki (Shiro Mifune), who invites him to be the chief of art of fencing of his warriors, but the envy and proud prevail and Misawa is dismissed from the aimed job. The quiet Tayo decides to present her optimistic and touching viewpoint of what happened to Ilhei.

I was reluctant to see "Ame agaru" due to a wrong expectation and feeling. I believed the director Takashi Koizumi was an opportunist, using the name of Akira Kurosawa to promote himself in his career. How wrong I was! Indeed, "Ame agaru" is a very beautiful and sensitive feel-good movie and a great homage of Takashi Koizumi to his master Akira Kurosawa. The direction is simply perfect; the performances are stunning, with the actors and actresses showing passion, heart and soul in their interpretations, highlighting Akira Terao and Yoshiko Miyazaki; the locations are simple but beautiful; and the lovely story is wonderful, with a magnificent, optimistic and very human message in the end. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Depois da Chuva" ("After the Rain")

A Quirky Samurai Movie

[keikoyoshikawa · 7/10 · 26 October 2019]

Like "Tasogare Seibei" that followed it a few years later, "Ame Agaru" tells a story about samurais - and in this particular case, a ronin - that is so refreshingly atypical and interesting that it leaves you wanting more.

I've watched many samurai movies and series. My favorites have included the Zaitochi series, especially the movie version directed and stared in by Takashi Kitano. Part of the draw is of course the sword-fighting and the battles; but to be perfectly honest, after a while it all starts to get a bit stale.

While it is not as genre-bending like what Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" did to westerns, "Ame Agaru" nonetheless delivers in its depiction of a ronin during the Edo Period that seemingly borders on the mundane but surprisingly tells so much more about what it might have been like for such masterless warriors.

What stands out most about this film is the loving treatment by both the writer and the director - who by the way are giants in Japanese cinema - of the main character. He is not what one might expect from a ronin from this period in Japanese history, though clearly the pride and ego are there even if they are seemingly suppressed.

By contrast, the other samurais are not as fleshed out and come across as more cookie-cutter and thus boring. This is unfortunate, because had the movie given the same treatment to these other characters that it did to its protagonist, it could have been truly revolutionary. Instead, "Ame Agaru" is more of an interesting sidetrack from the typical samurai genre than a major evolution.

It is a lost opportunity until the arrival of "Tasogare Seibei", which arguably is a better film in terms of its challenge of the genre. Nonetheless, "Ame Agaru" is an enjoyable film, and is worth a look if you are a fan of samurai movies.

an out-of-work samurai & his wife are stranded during a flood...

[specknold-1 · 10/10 · 17 September 2006]

excellent Japanese period piece, co-written by Akira Kurosawa. an out-of-work samurai(a ronin) & his wife are stranded during a flood. as they are unable to cross a swollen river, they stay at an inn with many other stuck traveler's(mostly lower class). to earn some extra money(to to buy "comforts" for the other guests; namely food & wine), our protagonist gambles his fencing skills against the local instructors. they are no match for his superior skills and seek vengeance to restore their honor... not an action movie so much as a human drama, with many colorful & interesting characters. the fighting scenes are realistic & not prolonged & add a disturbing, violent balance to an otherwise slow paced, beautifully shot film. there's a great iai sequence shot in very serene surroundings(for those bu-do aficionados). a must see for those fans of Kurosawa's samurai flicks!!

Beautiful movie

[Mazito_IMDb · 7/10 · 23 February 2014]

This movie is great for people who like movies about Japanese samurai. Despite not having much action, it is an engaging film that holds the attention of the viewer.

The story is simple and focuses primarily on the main character. The few fights that are shown have a very good choreography. The acting is decent and the cinematography is one of the strengths. Throughout the film we are blessed with beautiful nature landscapes.

The film has the ideal running time. Even being a little slow sometimes it does not become boring.

7/10

Feel-good movie with no edges

[Colashwood · 4/10 · 13 November 2005]

I have seen this two days after the exhilarating "Kill", by Okamoto. So ? They both feature a middle-aged ronin with a good heart and an even better sword, inns full of "the good people", poor but industrious, and rather mean and silly clansmen. And pensive wives or wives to be. But Kill is a stylish, funny, irrelevant film, with a wonderful comical Tatsuya Nakadai, whereas Ame agaru fails in almost everything it attempts. The actor playing the ronin has no body tension (all right, that's part of his technique, but it doesn't work on screen. The old master — incidentally played by dear Nakadai — could have taught him a few of his acting tricks.) and there is no chemistry between any of those actors. Shiro Mifune has his papa's voice, but not much more — in this film at least, and the landscapes are filmed with a striking apathy. Worst of all is the drivel about "the good poor people" — so damn condescending. Hadn't Kurosawa had his take on the subject with the great Lower Depths ? And there was no condescension then. For a great film on the Japanese slums (other than Lower Depths, that is), try Humanity and Paper Balloons. And well, feel-good movies are seldom good.

Excellent movie!

[joehaddd · 10/10 · 22 May 2001]

One of the most beautiful movies in resent years.

The photography is incredible, the acting excellent, and the main characters are true to life. Even the ending - uncertain - leaves the viewer to provide his own ending

THAT'S how movies should be made!

Koizumi Takashi has directed "After the rain" in the same manner as his mentor Akira Kurosawa must have anticipated.

[FilmCriticLalitRao · 8/10 · 18 May 2013]

About Japanese director Koizumi Takashi, it can be said that his life has come to a complete standstill on two different occasions. Firstly, there was absolute shock for him in store when his mentor, Akira Kurosawa died after having written the screenplay of "After the Rain". It was therefore a tough challenge for Koizumi to direct the film exactly in the same manner as Kurosawa Sensei had wished. Secondly, the quiet manner in which his film flows makes all viewers wonder about the complete lack of movement in his film. It is as if stillness pervades the entire film even in those scenes where there is drama and violence. As a film, After the rain is a highly philosophical tale about a samurai who finds his true worth when he becomes a key witness to some of life's harshest hardships. Despite tackling a tough subject, it remains a highly accessible film due to its focus on entertainment and humor.As a minor theme, Koizumi Takashi deftly explores the importance of a woman who is absolutely dependent on her husband for her survival. There is no sign of weakness in the feminine gaze as the female protagonist has been shown as a worthy partner of a man in distress. If acting is something which might interest enthusiastic viewers then they must give due respect to brilliant acting performances by Japanese actors Terao Akira and Miyazaki Yoshiko who are impressive in their roles as Monsieur Le Samurai and Madame La Samurai.

a middle-aged man in a career crisis, who happens to be a samurai

[steve.schonberger · 9/10 · 29 May 2000]

Ihei Misawa, played by Akira Terao, is a samurai. He is a great warrior, but now that the civil wars are over, he finds himself looking for a place for himself in the world. He and his wife Tayo (Yoshiko Miyazaki) are traveling, looking for a better place for themselves, but they're stranded at a small inn by a flooded river. While waiting for the rain to stop, and the river to go down enough to allow crossing, he tries to help entertain the others at the inn, who are mostly poor. The rain finally stops, and he goes for a walk in the woods, and breaks up a fight between a bunch of rowdy young men. That brings him to the attention of a local lord, who considers him for a job in his castle. That's about as much as I can say about the plot without risking spoilers.

While Ihei Misawa is a samurai, he's also a middle-aged man in a career crisis. What does a samurai do with himself when the wars have ended? He looks for a new career where his skills are still useful. His crisis is just like that of a laid-off worker of today, except for the line of work itself. The local lord, played by Shiro Mifune, also has problems that are still faced by modern people -- many of the people who work for him are incompetent or tiresome. The movie does a great job of telling a story that applies to a modern audience, even though it's set 300 years in the past.

Interestingly, although the movie has conflict, it has no major villain characters. (The rivals are all bit parts.) All of the central characters are basically good people. That's a refreshing outlook.

The movie was written by Akira Kurosawa before he died, and directed by his assistant director of 28 years, Takashi Koizumi, with most of the same regular crew. One of the supporting actors is Shiro Mifune, son of Toshirô Mifune, who starred in many of Kurosawa's movies. So in many ways it's a Kurosawa movie, and there's a substantial dedication to Kurosawa at the beginning of the film.

I saw the movie at a Seattle International Film Festival screening, and director appeared in person. Through an interpreter, he said that Kurosawa's son had persuaded him to direct the movie, with the support of many others who had worked with Kurosawa. He also said that he "asked and forced" the Akira Terao to star.

Quiet beauty

[ollie-2 · 8/10 · 17 July 2003]

Director Takashi Koizumi made a beautiful movie in the best Kurosawa tradition, about the relationship between a samurai and his surroundings. These surroundings are both in the personal sphere and in the natural sphere. The story quietly unfolds, about this particular samurai and his wife, temporarily staying in a tavern because of the ever falling rain. He teaches the folks in the tavern how to enjoy life. Then he gets an offer from a Lord to become a teacher at the court in swordfighting. But other swordteachers conspire against him and he doesn't get the job. The result is that his wife understands him better and after the rain has stopped, they travel on as a very happy couple through and in harmony with the beautiful countryside. This movie teaches us about simplicity and about being pleased with the things around oneself.

Brilliant examination of the human condition

[mark-buell-489-417078 · 9/10 · 16 February 2013]

This film is remarkable for two reasons. It is a study of Japanese culture, and it is a parable about the human spirit.

Although Kurosawa did not direct this, he wrote the screenplay, and his assistant of many years did direct it. It is, however, typical Kurosawa brilliance. As in the Seven Samurai, Kurosawa gently reveals life vignettes of both the common man, ronin, and samurai class people. The care for the common man that Kurosawa shows us has always reminded me of Chaucer. We do not often get to see accurate and non-judgmental portraits of the masses of people whose names never get recorded in history. He also accurately counterpoints, his depiction of the lower classes with vignettes from upper class life and decision-making.

The story itself is simple, but highly enjoyable. The dueling scenes are excellently done, although they lack some of the clash and dash dramatics of typical sword fights from any genre - Western or Eastern. They do appear more realistic. But, the real story is in the people. This is a window to Japanese culture for outsiders, and a window to Japanese historical culture for the Japanese. There are many satisfying moments: the party at the inn, the bokken duels, the duel in the forest, the moment the lord achieves insight into our hero's motivation, and the moment our hero's wife speaks out; all stood out in my mind.

As the characters develop, the conflict we see arise is because our hero is a man who is humble. He is a samurai/Buddhist ideal character, in both his ability, and his humility about it. But he is not a stereotype - he is a very real depiction of the kind of motivation and character you would expect from a person who was slightly outside the normal cultural system of Japan at the time. Kurosawa also examined similar characters and motivation in the Seven Samurai (especially the clown, Mifune's character).

The ending is unresolved, probably to get one to think about the characters actions as the movie ends - the ideal, humble man finding internal happiness, opposed to the typical, driven-to-succeed type who is endlessly chasing his goal.

not Kurosawa

[digdog-785-717538 · 5/10 · 18 May 2014]

originally i felt a review of Ame Agaru would be redundant, but seeing as everyone else (almost) seems to think this is a great film, i have to raise a voice.

After The Rain is a mediocre film. Not in a bad way, but rather in an uninteresting way.

First, the story is simple, very simple. Let's keep this in mind and pause here for a second.

Second, there are the many parts of the film where Kurosawa would put in some touches of class, some exposition of a more profound aspect of his characters, some haunting sights, some rhythmic pauses to the drama.

After The Rain has none of this; or rather, there are blank spots where Kurosawa would have put something cool which makes his movies into masterpieces, instead here we have nothing but boredom, emptiness, mediocrity and shallowness.

In the end, this is a film from a director who thinks he is Kurosawa, starring an actor who thinks he is Toshiro Mifune, telling a story everyone involved thinks its profound, while it's not.

(Kurosawa had the ability to extract moments of great drama from his actors, that's why he didn't need complicated stories)

So yeah, we appreciate the tribute, but it didn't come out very well.

My final vote: 5/10 Don't bother, there's nothing to see.

One of the Best Samurai Films

[leb-gerald · 8/10 · 22 April 2014]

I give this an 8 because it is a small film, one that limits itself to a very small scope in time and space. Its themes, however, are timeless. Virtue and its application to daily life is at the core of this film, and the samurai genre is only a vehicle. Nevertheless, the samurai fighting is beautifully and clearly depicted, and the character of the ronin protagonist is both unusual and admirable.

Samurai films set at the end of the shogunate usually depict the conflict between a warrior ethos and a settled society, and this film is no exception. Our hero, a ronin (samurai without a settled position or master) traveling with his wife, is trapped by weather at a country inn. His interactions with his fellow travelers, all commoners, and the citizens of the rural area where the inn is located, reveal his sterling character. His interactions with the local daimyo (feudal territorial lord) and his retainers show his brilliance as a swordsman and his utter decency as a human being.

If you are a fan of samurai films you will enjoy this one. If you are a fan of good film making, you will love this film.

You Can't Make Grim Dramas All The Time

[boblipton · 8/10 · 18 November 2019]

It's been raining for a while. No one can cross the river, the travelers at the inn are short-tempered and grouchy. Ronin Akira Terao comes back with a feast for everyone. He apologizes to his wife, Yoshiko Miyazaki. He fought some duels for money for the feast, and promises never to do it again. She forgives him with the loving, resigned air of the mother of a good child who gets into scrapes. When the rain stops, it will be some time before the river is passable. Terao goes for a walk and encounters half a dozen local samurai about to fight a duel. He chides them gently and disarms them. The local lord, Shiro Mifune rides up, calls them idiots, and thanks Terao. Then Mifune sends for Terao, to offer him the job of fencing master. This riles up the locals, who think the job should go to one of them.

Akira Kurosawa had written the script and finished pre-production just before he died. His heirs made the film under the direction of Takashi Koizumi, Kurosawa's regular assistant director since 1980. With its rough and kindly good humor and natural beauty, this doesn't look like any movie of Kurosawa's -- although his Capra-esque ONE WONDERFUL SUNDAY, more than half a century earlier, is cut from the same cloth. I think that after years of epics and fantasies, Kurosawa wanted to make a simple comedy about good people who smile and make jokes and laugh. I doubt it would have looked like this, but I think he would have been pleased with the result.

A positive example

[siderite · 8/10 · 30 June 2006]

I can't say that I really liked seeing this movie. I didn't dislike it and I am sure I liked the message very much. It was just too long a movie for such a short message.

But the atmosphere of the film is nice, all of it being about casting regrets about the past away, making the most of the present and hoping for a good future. Akira Terao was very good in this movie and now, after seeing it, I can't imagine it with another actor. Shiro Mifune, son of the great Toshiro Mifune, was also of quality acting and borrowed humour and life to the role of the lord.

I won't linger on the subject, I will only say that, even if a samurai movie, the film has very little fights and its idea doesn't really center on them. Some guy here titled his comment Kurosawa Light. Couldn't have said better myself.

A perfect, great film

[rberg · 10/10 · 24 February 2001]

This is a simple film that is carved out of solid wisdom and heart. It is a perfect, great film. At present, it has no American distributor, but if you have any chance to see it bring everyone you know with you. Kurosawa's ghost gets my vote for director of the year.

I loved it!

[Lady_Targaryen · 10/10 · 22 August 2005]

I agree with Jose Guilherme, that many of Kurosawa's movies are a little bit tiring, and also that the characters of this movie,Ame agaru are very charismatic.

This movie really made me a surprise,since it's very optimistic, and with a good message, about helping other people and to forget the bad side of the past, to turn into a better person in the future.:)

Also shows the monster of envy, when other fighters are jealous about misawa's habilities and the fact that he is invited to be the Master of all the fighters and warriors of the landlord.

I recommend it to everybody who wants a nice day!:)