The End of Summer
An aging Kyoto sake brewer's matchmaking plans collide with his daughters' private desires and his own hidden past.
Overview
A poignant exploration of family ties and the complexities of love and duty in post-war Japan.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- poignant
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a beautifully observed, deftly balanced family drama that combines playful comedy with a poignant meditation on aging, death, and social change.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Manbei and Yanosuke arrange prospective husbands for Akiko and Noriko despite the sisters' uncertainty about these matches.
Manbei's lively conduct and family maneuvering coexist with the film's increasingly poignant attention to aging and death.
The struggling sake brewery and the daughters' different work, widowhood, and romantic choices reflect changing postwar Japanese life.
The film's family conversations and everyday Kyoto spaces are observed through Ozu's controlled, contemplative visual language.
Films like The End of Summer, and why
Tokyo Story
shared domestic family drama, generational change, understated humor, and contemplative treatment of mortality
Late Spring
shared ozu-style family tensions, marriage negotiations, changing social customs, and restrained emotional observation
The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
shared japanese family drama, quiet comedy, intergenerational conflict, and bittersweet reflections on aging
Still Walking
shared measured domestic drama, sibling relationships, family obligation, and poignant engagement with loss
Movie Details
- Director
- Yasujirō Ozu
- Release Date
- 1961-10-29
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (113)
Cast
- Setsuko Hara
- Yōko Tsukasa
- Michiyo Aratama
- Keiju Kobayashi
- Masahiko Shimazu
- Hisaya Morishige
- Chieko Naniwa
- Reiko Dan
- Haruko Sugimura
- Daisuke Katō
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Kanopy, Criterion Channel, HBO Max
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The End of Summer about?
- An aging Kyoto sake brewer's matchmaking plans collide with his daughters' private desires and his own hidden past.
- What is The End of Summer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The End of Summer as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The End of Summer violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The End of Summer.
- What did critics think of The End of Summer?
- Critics broadly regard it as a beautifully observed, deftly balanced family drama that combines playful comedy with a poignant meditation on aging, death, and social change.
- Which films are like The End of Summer?
- Films with a similar feel include Tokyo Story, Late Spring, The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice, and Still Walking.
- How long is The End of Summer?
- The End of Summer runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch The End of Summer?
- In United States, The End of Summer streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Kanopy, Criterion Channel, HBO Max.
