Get reel: Big-screen treatment for Oshin

Three decades ago, a Japanese television series about a girl from a poor rural family who’s sent away to work at the age of seven became a smash hit. Set during the Meiji period, Oshin’s eponymous character is said to have been inspired by Katsu Wada, the cofounder (along with her husband Ryohei) of a store that later expanded into the Yaohan retail chain.

To commemorate the show’s 30th anniversary, Oshin’s tale has been brought to the big screen. As with the show, Oshin the movie – which opens on December 5 – aims to evoke tears but also inspire with its story of a plucky young girl imbued with strength and determination to never give up hope despite adversity.

Well-made movies with strong stories have the power to move – and inspire. It’s common to check out a comedy if you’re feeling a little blue or to opt for an action-packed film to destress and relax.

By a similar token, I’m not surprised to find some people avoid depressing dramas. I have a friend who hasn’t been able to watch any films in which a parent dies since her mother’s passing.

At the same time, you don’t have to personally be afflicted with a terrible disease or experience times of war to be affected by films such as David Lynch’s The Elephant Man, which told the true story of a gentle but severely deformed man treated as a freak show exhibit, or City of Life and Death, Lu Chuan’s vivid chronicling of the Nanjing Massacre.

Conversely, there also are those who find that watching films others may find miserable actually make them feel better about their own lives. Call it a “there but for the grace of God go I ... “ perspective. There have been times when I’ve come away from viewing a particular movie feeling grateful that I’ve not had to undergo the travails of certain characters.