How do you understand the plot in Tokyo Tale?

The director let the characters and stories flow naturally. The story has no obvious clues and plots, and it is completely composed of small things in life: packing, eating, talking and making phone calls. Everyone in the movie, basically every episode is "complete". The director will let mom and dad sit quietly, slowly pack their bags and discuss the itinerary. Will the younger son meet them at the station? Let the neighbors and aunts appear in the window and ask them to complete a dialogue about the weather in Tokyo. At the end of the shot, dad finally found the air cushion that he couldn't find at first. This is what life is like.

Although there is no obvious plot, the story itself creates a little suspense, leaving the audience to find the answer themselves, and the answer lies in the details. When the camera leaves the crowded parents and comes to a house in Tokyo, the audience needs to find out who it is and whose home it is. When the eldest daughter-in-law replied to her son, "Grandparents are coming soon." At that time, the audience knew that the old couple had left their hometown and completed their journey to Tokyo. When this beautiful and dignified woman came to the eldest son's house to visit her parents, the audience never quite understood whether she was a daughter or a daughter-in-law. If it's a daughter-in-law, why doesn't the son come? It was not until the audience saw mom and dad see their son's black-framed photo at her house that they realized that the second daughter-in-law had been widowed for many years. Such a small suspense guides the audience.

Although mom and dad were not well cared for and entertained by their children in Tokyo, the film never showed any conflict, that is to say, the undercurrent of life and the inner dissatisfaction of the characters were basically hidden under polite words and behaviors such as smiling, "hello", "thank you" and "really". This seems to be more inclined to the habits of orientals, and everything is "harmonious"; Especially among family members, some dissatisfaction and complaints are even more difficult to say. On the one hand, it is for family harmony, on the other hand, it seems to be for yourself.

When mom and dad first arrived in Tokyo, they found that their son was just a suburban community doctor, always waiting for the patient's call. The small clinic is at home, and his wife is a nurse (maybe). Mom and dad found that their children's lives were not so satisfactory, at least not as good as they thought. Their disappointment is beyond words, even between the old couple. Because once you say it, it is tantamount to slapping yourself; And force yourself to face the reality. Only when dad is drunk can he really show it when he is drunk.

When the old couple reviewed their trip to Tokyo at their youngest son's house in Osaka, they tried their best to convince themselves (and each other) that their children were better off than ordinary people. Although they have not received proper care and entertainment, they can comfort themselves and forgive their children with "as long as their children live well" according to their parents' psychology. After the funeral, everyone was discussing the cause of mother's sudden stroke. Obviously, the old couple didn't tell what happened to them in Tokyo. They stayed in a small room upstairs for a week. Neither son nor daughter took them out to play a place. They stayed up all night in a hot spring hotel. ) tell the little daughter. This is a typical parent. They should not only digest these disappointments and sorrows by themselves, but also never tell others about these "family scandals", even their own children, because it will affect the relationship between brothers and sisters. Not only them, but also mine, yours and our respective parents. Therefore, even Japanese movies, a China audience will always be "worried".

Mom and dad just arrived in Tokyo, sitting on the tatami upstairs of the eldest son. The old couple were able to communicate their feelings alone for the first time since they arrived in Tokyo. Mother said softly, "Where do you think this is in Tokyo?" Dad said, "Suburb." Hearing my mother's slow words, my heart moved and I couldn't help thinking that my parents had just arrived on the first night. I'm afraid my mother said the same thing. "Where the hell are we?" Although there were other scenes that made the audience cry afterwards, none of them were as wonderful as my mother's words.