Like Someone in Love
dir. Abbas Kiarostami · 2012
Feature
Cultural Dislocation
Mood
Contemplative / Melancholic
Look
minimalist, with a focus on natural light and urban landscapes
Structure
episodic, unfolding over a single day
Plot
An old man and a young woman meet in Tokyo. She knows nothing about him, he thinks he knows her. He welcomes her into his home, she offers him her body. But the web that is woven between them in the space of twenty four hours bears no relation to the circumstances of their encounter.
Why watch
An old man welcomes a young woman into his Tokyo apartment, their encounter steeped in ambiguity and unspoken desires. As the hours unfold, the film captures the weight of their fleeting connection against the backdrop of a sprawling, impersonal city. Watching it feels like drifting through a dream, where every glance and silence carries the weight of unexpressed emotions.
Talking points
- the nature of connection in urban settings
- the impact of cultural dislocation on relationships
- the role of silence in communication
- generational differences in intimacy
Cultural context
urban isolation in modern Japanthe complexities of human relationshipsgenerational differences in intimacythe transient nature of city life