Present-day Kobe, a damaged tiger figurine leads to world-weary delivery workers Kusanagi and his boss Sakurai to meet the eccentric father of a talented artist. A battle of wits ensues over the issue of compensation with the father, Heihachi. Meanwhile his son Jun, the artist, observes and intervenes with revelations that lower tensions and slowly, gradually, the three men begin to understand quiet truths about pride, love, and fatherhood.
The path to enlightenment is unpredictable but rich in wry humour, heartfelt compassion, and a scintilla of sentimentality in this short powered by pitch-perfect performances. NOHARA Tadashi’s assured direction and the perfect cinematography of IIOKA Yukiko capture the smallest tics of a cast of topflight veteran actors for a story with themes of fathers fearing they are failing their children and yet finding hope amidst their cynicism. [Jason MAHER]