The Wash

Set in San Jose, California, and starring an all-Japanese-American cast, The Wash is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the disintegration of a marriage. As the film opens Nobu (Mako) and Masi Matsumoto (Nobu McCarthy) have been separated for eight months, following forty years of marriage. Nobu, an irascible old man, refuses to show his real feelings for Masi (who left him, mainly for this reason). Masi, still bound to her husband, shows up regularly at his house to pick up his laundry ("the wash"). When Masi meets Sadao, a kindly widower, she rediscovers an autumnal love that includes going to movies and learning to fish. Meanwhile, Nobu has been halfheartedly romancing a younger waitress. When Masi's affair with Sadao is finally revealed, Nobu throws himself at her feet, begging her to return (a raw, painful scene). The Wash is a deeply moving story that faces the complexities of love and growing older honestly, without pandering to the wishful thinking of the audience. And the two children--even though they are adults, with lives of their own--are still caught in the emotional crossfire of their parents' separation. Funny, sad, and brimful of life, The Wash is highly recommended. (R. Pitman)