Midlife ◆ A Good Season for Serious Learning
- かゆかわクリニック院長 粥川裕平
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Chunichi Shimbun, Morning Edition, September 8, 2006
Yoji Yamada, widely known for the “Tora-san” series (Otoko wa Tsurai yo), is a filmmaker who portrays contemporary social issues from the perspective of ordinary people. From School (1993) to 15-Year-Old: School IV (2000), his “School” series is set in night schools, special needs schools, and vocational training schools, vividly depicting the vitality of both young people and adults. Here, I would like to introduce School III (1998).
The protagonist, Sawako (Shinobu Otake), has lost her husband to overwork, her sixteen-year-old son has autism spectrum disorder, and she has just been dismissed from her office job. In order to gain the “building management” qualification required for re-employment, she enrolls in a vocational training school. There, she meets middle-aged men also aiming to re-enter the workforce.
Among them, the most stubborn is Takano (Toshio Kobayashi), a former securities company department head who was laid off through restructuring. After failing to secure a new job through old connections, his relationship with his family has also deteriorated. He refuses to engage with his classmates and behaves selfishly, earning their disapproval.
However, he gradually becomes drawn to Sawako, who continues to live forward with strength despite raising a child with disabilities, and Sawako in turn becomes conscious of him. Their relationship does not proceed smoothly; various incidents occur, and the classmates go through conflicts and acts of mutual support as they share their school life.
Set against the backdrop of the post-bubble economic recession, the film portrays a bittersweet “youth ensemble drama” of middle-aged ordinary people. It carries a charm reminiscent of the Tora-san series. The subplot involving the autistic child and mother is based on Tommy’s Sunset by Hisako Tsurushima, and was specially written by Yamada himself. The earnest and somewhat endearing presence of the autistic child enhances the emotional depth of the work.
When we think about it, midlife can be considered a particularly suitable time for learning.
Having accumulated life experience and hardship, people often develop resilience and concentration, and many also approach learning with a sincere desire to acquire practical knowledge. By channeling that energy into study, gaining information, and forming new relationships, one may find a path toward a more fulfilling later life. The film quietly suggests that within school there is an important human life, and that life itself is also a kind of school.
