Taeko, a young girl from a family in Tokyo, reminisces about her childhood in the 60s. Now in her 20s she’s an appreciation for a life that was simple, didn’t offer the same opportunities as her friends, but taught her important life lessons. As she takes a trip to pick Saffron flowers on a break from work, she’s time to reflect. She’s looking for purpose. Not feeling she’s found her calling at work and much more at home in the countryside. You can certainly appreciate the peaceful nature and it’s beautifully drawn as expected. Sadly for all the thought provoking introspection, some of the story feels a bit flat or forced. This might be partly due to the dub on Netflix, which is pretty awful. It’s an unusual film, certainly far from Studio Ghibli’s best, but as Taeko finds there’s reason behind her trip down memory lane, she arrives somewhere she hadn’t expected.
6/10
