I posted my thoughts on this film to my blog: http://criterionreflections.blogspot.com/2009/03/story-of-floating-weeds-1934-232.html

A quote: The “floating weeds” referred to in the title serve as a metaphor, apparently familiar enough in Japan, referring to people whose lives drift aimlessly through the currents of time and circumstance. I think it’s important to point out that Ozu shows little interest in moralizing or “fixing problems” in his films. He’s much more interested in depicting the subtle tensions that shape and underlie realistic human relationships, and our all-too-frequent inability to resolve them to our or anyone else’s satisfaction. And I think what makes his cinema so refreshing and engaging, once one makes the needed adjustments to get into it, is his willingness to depict his characters in the ordinariness of their lives. Of course, for us living in 21st century USA (or anywhere else in the world, for that matter) we also get a fascinating glimpse in to the world of 1930s Japan. The interior shots give us an idea of the rustic simplicity these people lived in, and the outdoor scenes possess a beautiful luminosity that I greatly enjoyed. I think I have a lot of stereotypes to unlearn about that era and I’m really glad to have this record