Modernism with a Soul

Jin's father has a sort of haunting presence over Columbus. While he only has a few minutes of screen time (if that), his ideas are constantly present. Architecture, particularly Jin's father's idea of architecture, is what forges the central relationship in the film between Jin and Casey. Director Kogonada draws parallel between form in architecture and film, chiefly drawing on Jin's father's concept of "modernism with a soul". From Oxford Languages, modernism is defined as "a style or movement in the arts that aims to break with classical and traditional form". In particular, this permeates through Kogonada's visual grammar. He wears his influences on his sleeve, repurposing cinematography from Yasujiro Ozu for an updated take on the family drama. 

Still from Columbus

To me, Columbus reads as an antithesis to Ozu's work, and I believe this is somewhat intentional on Kogonada's part. Ozu is generally concerned with generational difference, as in Tokyo Story. He narratively scolds the middle-aged characters in the film as they are unable to make time in their busy lives to be around their elderly parents during a visit to Tokyo. For contrast, in Columbus it is Jin's father that establishes the emotional disconnect between them, and we are ultimately to sympathize with Jin when he doesn't want to be near his father for fear of grieving a relationship he feels he has already lost. Curiously, Casey's narrative is also sort of update on Ozu. Casey's feelings toward her mother are manifested in the form of physical distance; she feels that she needs to stay in her hometown rather than pursuing education opportunities in New York out of fear of the emotional distance she felt when her mother suffered from addiction, as well as general concern for her mother's wellbeing in her recovery process. It is not my place to speak on how either of these narratives carry out; suffice to say I think the characters deal admirably with very challenging emotional circumstances. Rather, I am more concerned with Kogonada's aim as a filmmaker to flip Ozu's concepts.

Ozu advocates for appreciating your loved ones while they're here, especially the quiet moments and the details that we might take for granted. Columbus isn't exactly at odds with this notion. Rather, it's a challenge to the idea the nuclear family in a modernist sense. Sometimes things happen, like addiction, "shithead guys", and people like Jin's father that can't seem to take an interest. I have mixed opinions on Columbus, but I appreciate it for its bold approach to difficult themes.

Still from Nobody Knows

As another example of a modernist take on the family structure, Hirokazu Kore-eda's Still Walking is a better version of a similar narrative. It follows a man's visit to his childhood home, where his emotionally distant father throws subtle jabs at him for not living up to his expectations for his career. Kore-eda respectfully denies comparisons to Ozu, but the comparison has been made for a reason. Both examine the nuclear family and parenting/child development. In Nobody Knows, Kore-eda examines children growing up with a mother that almost never comes home, and how the lack of income or parenting permeates to other parts of the children's lives. The narrative works similarly to Columbus in its view of dysfunctional nuclear families. Where I see Kore-eda as superior to Kogonada is his distinct visual sensibility. In my eyes Columbus feels like standard indie fare outside of shots very obviously taken from Ozu. He has a good eye, and perhaps my issues with the film can be chalked up to Kogonada's inexperience as a feature director, but I wish that he would develop his own voice. 

IHRTLUHC