Hearts and Flowers for Tora-san

• Interestingly, the opening scene isn't specified to me a dream sequence in this one, so in my mind, it's canon.

• Also unusual was the lack of bumbling and slapstick during the opening credits.

• Then Tora doesn't return home and the main plot seems to start without that visit home? This feels radical by Tora-san standards!

• While I appreciate the changes from the formula, I'm feeling the length a bit already, and there's still about one hour to go 😓
• Not sure I'm super invested in this family's drama and dynamics, given they've just been introduced
• Got a little better once it focused in on Tora and this film's Madonna- she's quite likeable, and it's nice to see a straight "Tora falling in love with a new girl" plot again
• A bit more development for Mitsuo as a character is nice, too. Pretty cool to think he started the series approx a dozen years earlier as an infant

Overall: an okay entry with some admirable attempts at breaking the formula down a little, but it will ultimately blend into many of the rest, and at 110 minutes I thought it was a touch overlong, too.