Cutie and the Boxer 2013

     Ushio and Noriko Shinohara are both artists from Japan and they have an adult son, Alex.  Ushio is one of the leading but under appreciated alternative artists in Japan and New York.  Noriko has been a faithful wife and companion to Ushio for 40 years but now she wants to focus and receive success as an artist too.  Ushio is now 80 years old and Noriko is 59 years old.  Ushio was an alcoholic but now he’s has an allergy to alcohol.  The tendency to become an alcoholic was passed on to their son.  They have struggled their entire marriage with living on little money.  Noriko believes this contributed to their son's low self esteem when he was in school. 

      I wonder why the association of Ushio with Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol isn’t discussed at all in this film?  Ushio is known for bashing huge canvases with paint coated boxing gloves.  He also makes large motorcycle models and other items from cardboard.  Noriko does drawings inspired by their life together.  They are having their first art showing together in the same gallery.  Even if you don’t care at all about their art or this type of art, their life together is very interesting.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

82 min, Doc directed by Zachary Heinzerling with Ushio, Noriko and Alex Shinohara, Ethan Cohen.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10, 96% critic 78% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*.