Akira Kurosawa is a director with a big heart, who tackles significant human problems at all levels (socio-political, economic, social or psychological). His films are always focused on individual human beings with their love of life, their courage, magnanimity or sexuality, but also with their violence, vices, credulity or thirst for power. His movies illustrate in a sublime manner the harsh battle for survival of ordinary people against the forces of evil (politicians, generals, robbers or other wicked people). They shine through their sincerity, their overwhelming emotions and Kurosawa's brilliant directing (cast as well as camera) with scenes and images that take the viewer by the throat.This movie is a perfect example of Kurosawa's true craftsmanship. Its theme is nothing less than the effect of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Its effect is that 'angels weep'. They weep because those who are responsible for the launch of the bomb argued that the 'Lightning' was necessary to end the war. But the 'Lightning' continues to kill. It still causes mighty suffering for innocent people and that for the rest of their lives. Moreover, those who launched the atomic bomb do not like to remember it. They prefer to forget all the victims, also those who survived the 'Lightning'.At the heart of this movie stands a grandmother who lost most of her family in the disaster, except, among other people, a brother who emigrated to the US. She wants to see him before she dies. In the meantime, her four grandchildren as well as an American nephew (played by Richard Gere) pay a visit to her. But, the memory of the disaster continues to haunt her. When a violent thunderstorm erupts over her village, she believes that a new bomb has fallen on the city of Nagasaki. She runs desperately to the rescue of the 'new victims'. With a courageous Richard Gere in an amazing role, this movie is a must for all movie lovers and for all fans of Akira Kurosawa.

Hearing about Rhapsody in August before seeing the film, I was seriously expecting a bad film with a lot of people saying it was Kurasawa's worst. Well, I wouldn't call it one of his finest, but I am not yet in a position to say it's his worst as I haven't seen every single one of his films(I will be watching Madadeyo in due course and see if it was as underwhelming as I remember). Rhapsody in August I do find a flawed film, the script is not entirely sure which way it wants to go and sometimes has a melodramatic tone, the ending is rather confusing and abrupt, the children's acting is rather stilted at times and Richard Gere while trying hard to bring a sense of understatement felt out of place to me. However, it is delicately directed by Kurasawa, and contains some typically gorgeous cinematography and images, especially the rose blooming and the ants. The score is pleasant and never over-bearing, and the story is humanistic and genuinely moving. Of the characters, the most intriguing and well developed was the grandmother Kane. Her scenes are the most haunting and poignant of the film, and she is powerfully acted by Sachiko Murase. All in all, while not Kurasawa's finest hour, I didn't find it a bad film and better than I was led to believe. Even at his worst, Kurasawa is better than a lot of directors now at their best, to me anyway. 6/10 Bethany Cox

This is the toughest negative review I've ever written. I love Kurosawa's work; his films are deeply philosophical and unquestionably artistic. Also I have very deep sympathy and respect for the 200,000 Japanese civilians who were broiled alive when that idiot Truman decided to play boom boom with his new toy. As far as "preaching to the choir" goes, I AM THE CHOIR.But someone has to say it. This movie was awful. It was so clumsy and melodramatic that it made a mockery of both Kurosawa and the atomic tragedy he portrays. Like my title implies, it's the "ABC afterschool special" version of life after the atomic bomb, complete with a cast of sappy kids, an overly-sentimental script, amateur editing and a philosophical message so vapid that it wouldn't fill the back of a postcard.Have you ever sat around at Thanksgiving dinner listening to your great-grandmother ramble incoherently about something of great importance? She repeats herself. She takes 10 minutes to communicate the simplest thought. And when it's all over, no one knows or cares what she was talking about because the presentation was so damn irritating. That's what you get here.I'll give you an example of one scene. The scene shows the widowed grandmother praying before some lighted candles. It should be obvious that she's paying respects to her dead husband killed by the bomb. But just in case you didn't catch that--just in case you thought she was playing bingo or something--here's how the script goes:Kid #1: What's that about?Kid #2: Chanting Buddhist sutras.Kid #3: It's a service for the souls of the departed.Kid #2: It's August. Soon it'll be Atomic Bomb Day.Kid #3: August 9th.Kid #4: The day grandpa died.(camera lingers for 5 or 10 seconds)Oh puh-leez. I think we got the message ten minutes ago. What could have been a gripping moment is now just an irritating waste of film and dialogue (with bad acting to boot). I could see the audience collectively rolling its eyes, and I'm ashamed to admit I was rolling along with them.Don't even get me started on the people in the audience who reacted defensively, believing this to be an anti-American slam. Obviously it's NOT. But I can understand how people might come away with that impression. Kurosawa lays it on so thick that you can't help but feel like he's pointing the finger of blame. If he HAD made it an anti-American film (or at least anti-idiot-Truman), then I would have found it much more interesting. But instead, it's just an overinflated pity party that never ends. There's no conflict; all the characters agree that the bomb sucked. All the characters bow their heads. All the characters feel sorry. For 2 hours it's a one-way ticket to "waaah".Save yourself the violin strings. Skip this movie and watch the documentary "Nagasaki: The Horror and Legacy of Fat Man" (1995) which is a gripping testament to the suffering and madness experienced by the Japanese civilians. Or if you want to enjoy a GOOD sentimental film of Kurosawa, watch "Ikuru" (1952). But I can't think of a single reason why anyone would want to watch this movie.

When I saw this movie, I remembered Louis-Ferdinand Celine's book, "Journey to the End of the Night", a anti-war book. Reading reviews about the movie, listening to what people in the US had to say, seeing the reaction of the American media to this movie, I was sad, simply sad. This movie is not about Japan, it's not about America, it could have been anywhere a war had happened.This movie is a poem against war and the scars it leaves forever deep in the mind of the people who suffered those wars. Those who didn't suffer a war are lucky, and shouldn't be blamed for being this lucky, but they should see movies like this to understand what war is about. The world is never better after war. The first ones to agree to settle things through warfare are the ones who didn't suffer war. There are no winners in a war, just remember.I'm sorry that all those who felt attacked in their pride as Americans are missing the point of this movie. If your father or your grandfather, or your friend has been to war, just listen to them.The performance of the grandmother will make you forget you're watching a movie! It is filmed simply and un-pretentiously, though is a very emotional film.Enjoy.PS: Oh and I'm not Japanese...