33. CUTIE AND THE BOXER

2 married artists are like 2 plants in one pot, often struggling for enough nutrients for each to flourish.  but, when it works, the result is 2 beautiful flowers.  ushio shinohara and his wife noriko have an age difference of 22 yrs and a marriage of 40+.  he is now 80, a struggling artist despite working the craft for an entire lifetime.  his art has been a mix of cardboard sculpture and boxing paintings--those made by punching the canvas with paint soaked boxing gloves.  she put her art and education on hold when she met him in new york city after relocating from japan.  she served as his wife and assistant, while he led a mostly unruly life as an alcoholic.  they have stayed poor.  at this time in noriko's life, she exerts more independence and emerges as an artist in her own rite, with a series of drawings of cutie and bullie, depicting her life with ushio and her evolving independence.  at some points, we wonder if she likes him much, but near the end, she tells ushio that cutie loves bullie so very much.  at one point in the film, ushio comments that an artist can't do anything other than art, even if it's not good for him; there is no escape.  we see the power, and the sacrifice, of love.  i enjoyed learning about this interesting couple and, especially, seeing ushio's unique approach to his paintings.