Octogenarian Actress Shines in Poignant Japanese Drama of Love and Loss

As of November 2025, veteran Japanese director Yōji Yamada, now 94 years old, has released his 91st feature film, Tokyo Taxi. The movie stars 84-year-old actress Chieko Basho, who makes her 160th screen appearance, in a poignant story about a taxi driver and his elderly passenger.

The film follows Koji, a cab driver who usually works the night shift, as he is called in to pick up 85-year-old Sumire one morning. What was supposed to be a routine hour-long drive turns into a day-long journey as Sumire asks to visit various locations in Tokyo that hold significance in her life. Through sepia-toned flashbacks, Sumire recounts the major events that have shaped her eventful life, including the tragic loss of her first husband and the abusive relationship with her second.

Yamada's heartfelt but at times overly sentimental film provides a bittersweet reflection on growing old, looking back, and realizing one's story is worth telling. While the ending is somewhat predictable, the darker moments in Sumire's life offer a compelling commentary on the challenges faced by Japanese women in the postwar era. The chemistry between Basho and co-star Takuya Kimura as the taxi driver also helps to elevate the film.