This is not the most exciting or engaging of Kurosowa's films. The pace is a bit slow and the plot meanders here and there. Even so, I found it very enjoyable. It has a light and hopeful tone to it. Having recently taken a class focusing in great detail on immediate post-war Japan, this film is a good reflection and comment on that time. Everyday hardships, such as black marketeering, inflation, and scarcity are well represented without being overwhelmingly depressing. The tone may often seem a bit maudlin, particularly the scene requesting audience participation near the end, yet this film was released in mid 1947 and life for the intended audience was as bad as or worse than our fictional couple. People could relate to the scenes portrayed. When the girl asks for the audience to clap, it is not just to raise her and her boyfriends spirits, it's to try to bring everyone up. Today, out of context, it seems corny, but back then in 1947, if you had just ducked into a dark movie theatre and spent your 5 or 10 or however many yen for a few hours escape on a Sunday afternoon with your girlfriend, it has a different meaning. All in all, a worthwhile film, particularly for those with an interest in Kurosowa or postwar Japan.