When working actor Takashi receives a jarring call from the police, he is forced to reconnect with his estranged father of 20 years, Yohji — an esteemed academic slipping rapidly into dementia. As Takashi attempts to piece together the mystery of Yohji’s missing wife and the fractured life his father now inhabits, their reunion uncovers long-buried tensions and unspoken grief, forcing Takashi to trace the past of his father that he has long refused to accept.

Unfolding as a meditation on loss — of time, identity, and familial closeness never fully grasped — Great Absence is a “delicately devastating” (Variety) award-winning drama from rising star director Kei Chikaura that navigates the fragile terrain of memory, estrangement, and the quiet devastations of aging.

For in-depth thoughts on Great Absence, please see my colleague Jaylan Salah’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Great Absence arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Film Movement with a first-rate 1080p presentation that captures the look of the film effortlessly. There is a world of detail packed within the various spaces, and this transfer zeroes in on so many unique characteristics. There is a robust amount of texture in close-up shots of the fabric and production design. Skin tones look natural, and there are some valuable characteristics on display in terms of age lines and makeup. Colors are brilliantly saturated with some complex colors springing forth in some of the environments. Black levels hold deep with no crush spotted, and highlights do not come up short with blooming. Compression artifacts and other digital anomalies are not an issue. Film Movement has delivered a worthy presentation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 2.0 track in the original Japanese (with optional English subtitles) that captures this contemplative material with ease. It is somewhat strange not to find a 5.1 track accompanying a modern film, but the experience does not feel diminished. This movie often unfolds with long stretches without dialogue, allowing the environmental effects to emerge more prominently. The track bubbles with life as subtle sounds of the town and nature flow out of the speakers to conjure a gratifying experience. Environmental sounds come through subtly, and any dialogue is crisp and clear without being overshadowed by any music or sound effects. Any texture in the low end is discrete at best. This track suits the film well.

Special Features

Kei Chikaura Interview: A 25-minute featurette with the director in which he discusses the development of this narrative from personal experiences, themes of the story, the challenges faced during production, and more.

Behind the Scenes Footage

- Fuji-san (0:31)

- Flowers (2:31)

- Moriyana-san (1:00)

Trailer (1:05)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring an essay from film critic Brian Tallerico.

Final Thoughts

Great Absence is a contemplative epic that gives some of the big moral questions humans grapple with the weight and complexity that they deserve. The question of forgiveness in all of its forms is explored commendably by director Kei Chikaura, whose own experiences lend a monumental sense of authenticity to the project. The ensemble brings this to life beautifully with many moments stirring up emotions that stick with you after the credits have finished rolling. Some moments feel like they could have comfortably been excised in favor of a tighter narrative experience, but the film still succeeds in leaving its mark. Film Movement has provided a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation along with a couple of supplements. Recommended

Great Absence is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Film Movement and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.