Review: Man Who Wipes Mirrors, The (2003)
Steve Rhodes
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
What a wonderfully sweet little film! In Seisoku Kajita's uplifting THE MAN
WHO WIPES MIRRORS (MIRROR WO FUKU OTOKO), Tsutomu Minagawa (Ken Ogata) is a man
on a mission. At the age of retirement, he suddenly sets out to clean every
one of Japan's traffic mirrors -- you know, those curved, round mirrors that
help prevent accidents by letting you see around corners. At first, his family
and friends are oblivious to his quest. The woman at the cleaners remarks to
his wife that a man of his rank certainly can't wear the same suit to work
everyday. Little does the cleaner know that Mr. Minagawa doesn't wear any
suits anymore. His days are spent on his bicycle with a five foot ladder
attached to the back, which he uses to reach the mirrors.
Only when his wife surreptitiously follows him does she discover his secret
life. Checking with the road department, she finds out that no permit is
required for cleaning mirrors, so her husband isn't breaking any laws as she
feared. She is surprised to find out that they know about her husband's
activities and are extremely appreciative.
Eventually, Mr. Minagawa finishes with the mirrors of Tokyo, so he ventures
further away, and I do mean further away. We get to visit areas of Japan where
films rarely take us. As the whimsical music plays and as the winds blows a
gale, he arrives at a gas station and a restaurant which proudly proclaim that
they are the "northernmost" in the country. From there he starts working his
way south, becoming a national celebrity in the process. Unassuming, he is
always willing, but not eager, to get his picture made by locals and by
television crews.
The movie is pretty unassuming too. Mr. Minagawa is a sweetheart of a guy whom
you'll quickly grow to love. He's also pretty funny without ever trying to be
so. All he wants to do is clean those mirrors. I won't say why, both because
his purpose isn't essential to the enjoyment of the movie and because I don't
want to reveal too much. Suffice it to say that you'll never look at one of
those curved mirrors again without thinking of him -- and smiling.
THE MAN WHO WIPES MIRRORS runs 1:57. The film is in Japanese with English
subtitles. It is not rated but would be a G and would be acceptable for all
ages.
The film is being shown as part of San Jose's Cinequest Film Festival
(www.Cinequest.org), which runs March 3-14, 2004.
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Email: Steve....@InternetReviews.com
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X-RT-RatingText: 3/4