Young Japanese girl and her boyfriend talk the night away about loneliness, mild depression, money and hopes and dreams.
This is an interesting experience, the movie seems more suited to a modern art museum then a cinema. The narrative so to speak is centered around a conversation the lead characters are having in a darkened room, this is presented through voice over and then there are visuals interspersed of Tokyo, all of the visual anchors of Japan are displayed: subway lines, Shibuya, kinetic lighting, neon streets, darkened alley ways. This is all very well shot, and adds an eloquent beauty to this movie, suggesting disquiet and a sense of isolation.
The appeal of this movie lies in its honesty and sincerity, there is a sense that the dialogue comes from a honest source, and I can see that the movie is an allegory of many a Tokyo-dwellers internal monologue. As someone who has lived in Tokyo for a few years I do understand and in many ways connect with the existential dread that this movie depicts of life in Japan, we are indeed alone with everybody, and we do feel genuine fear and uncertainty at our most vulnerable moments, which ironically those moments being when traversing the crowded city scape of urban Tokyo.
Many a cinematic nod to David Lynch, Wong Kai Wai, Jean Luc Goddard and perhaps even Terrence Mallick. Perhaps a little raw in places, and in some cases too real, but it should be applauded for it's style and I hope to see more from Stoler.