Early Summer (1951) review

Methodically paced Ozu film (mostly) about an unmarried woman who her family wants to link up with someone quickly (there are some other very minor sub-plots in the periphery, like the one involving the two difficult boys who want pieces of their train track and run away when they don't get it). I failed to find much 'drama' in this Ozu picture - the single 28-year-old never stops smiling, never seems affected by her old maid status (it could be posturing, but she appears carefree) and it's never in doubt that she'll wind up with someone; her family members want what's best for her, but likewise have other concerns in their own lives. Of course, like his other films it's flawlessly composed and the human interactions are always realistic, but I found myself less engaged with this particular picture of his than a lot of the others I've seen.