Of course, it would be ridiculous to suggest I hadn't wanted to hot-tail out of the cinema on occasions or that I hadn't struggled to get through the odd screener (actually I find I can be easily distracted from DVDs).
But my stock answer is that perseverance often brings unexpected rewards.
Never has that been more the case than with Yoji Yamada's movie.
It surrounds widow Ginko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) whose respectable life is regularly upset by the appearance of her alcoholic, feckless brother.
The first introduction to him is an appearance at Ginko's daughter's high society wedding.
Despite vowing to keep off the sauce, the champers is too great a temptation and he spoils the day.
Now, for the first half of the movie, this behaviour keeps repeating itself and, frankly, becomes a cross between irritating and dull.
Nevertheless, despite pressure from her family, she persists in her support for him despite its costs.
Then, suddenly, something happens which completely changes the complex of the film and gives Ginko vindication.
The movie then tugs violently at the heartstrings in a most unexpected way to the point that I was struggling, for the second time this week, to hold back a tear.
Last month I wrote about our family history when reviewing Despicable Dick and Righteous Richard so I shan't go into it too much again.
Suffice to say that About her Brother was even more of a mirror image of our experiences with Mrs W's sister.
Thus, we can understand the support for an errant, seemingly unredeemable member of the family.
Yoshinaga is superb as the understated and yet ever more frustrated Ginko but Tsurube Shofukutei is the stand-out as the erratic Tetsuro.
It is a most memorable and emotional movie. Go watch it.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8.5/10
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