1994 / 59m - Japan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Elephant Song poster

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January 04, 2021

3.5*/5.0*

A peculiar little drama. Gô Rijû seems to be pretty good at them, it's a shame his films are so hard to come by. While Elephant Song sounds a bit macabre on paper, it's really just a small, poignant and subtle film that brings together a friendly set of characters as they join each other on a road trip.

Kanako is facing quite the dilemma. She once promised an acquaintance of hers that she would bury him in a specific place when he'd come to die, not realizing that day would come sooner rather than later. She needs a little help to get the body to the designated place though, so she asks a colleague at work if he is willing to give her and the body a lift.

Miyuki Matsuda and Susumu Terajima are both great, dealing with the somewhat ludicrous plot in a very gentle and down-to-earth manner. The soundtrack is quite soothing, the pacing is pleasantly laid back and the conversations between the characters are nice to follow. A great little discovery.