It turns out this is the second Kazuyoshi Kumakiri movie. The first one seems to have been My Man which it looks like I've seen a few years ago (but have almost completely forgotten). And having watched The End of Summer, I kind of can understand why.
Before writing anything else, I must say, The End of Summer is not a bad movie, per se (though it might be a bad adaptation of Jakucho Setouchi's book, but I'm not sure, because I haven't read it yet). Rather, it is an adequate one, elevated by brilliant color and camerawork, evocative music by Jim O'Rourke, and very clever editing. Take all of that away, and we have a watchable drama about love, freedom, and fulfillment that doesn't take the time or effort to delve into any of the themes it introduces or flesh out the ideas is puts on the table.
Take Tomoko's relationship with Ryota, both in the past and now. Her betrayal is not accepted well by her husband and, to a degree at least, by Shingo. We can see on the face of the first and intuit by the eyes of the second that they don't accept her having a lover. Her husband even hits and curses her. But at the same time, nothing much is said by society about the fact that Shingo having a wife. Even I, when watching the movie, caught myself criticizing Tomoko for her choices, but at the same time accepted Shingo's lifestyle. Analyzing this false dichotomy could have been something very good, but, alas, it is just put out there and never addressed in a proper manner.
The same can be said about Tomoko's relationship with Ryota, which exists more as a means to push the plot forward than anything else. This is somewhat said, because Ryota seems to have the potential to be one of the more complex characters in the story, living on the brink of everything - poverty, depression, relationship with Tomoko. But just like everything else in the film, he is just there and then he is not. Things about him are said, then never mentioned again, then he disappears.
Visually, though, the film is mesmerizing. Ryuto Kondo's camera pays as much attention to the surroundings as to the actors, deciding to pain 1950s and 60s Japan in subdued warm colors - browns for Shingo, dark greens for Ryota, and brown and blues for Tomoko. There is also a lot of film noir framing, especially during the many rainy night scenes, as there are also influences from Cristopher Doyle's Hong Kong form the same period. Many frayed posters, withered colors, worn out walls. They are all not only very beautiful but create and carry the mood and atmosphere of the film much, much better than the narrative ever does.
