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6/10
Minimalist exercise, intermittently engaging
20 September 2010
Before you settle down for this movie, know what you're getting into. This is a minimalist film in the vein of Jim Jarmusch or Ming-liang Tsai. If you enjoy the works of either those directors, you'll probably appreciate this kind of filmmaking, although I don't think this is as successful as those directors' better works. If you aren't into this kind of thing, you'll probably be bored to tears.

I'm a fan of both Jarmusch and Ming-liang, and even my patience was tested at times. I appreciate what Nami Iguchi is trying to do here, and I think she is a talent to look out for in the future. She has a good eye for composition, draws out fine naturalistic performances from her actors, and orchestrates some lovely moments between them. But the screenplay meanders all over the place and the drama never amounts to much. After a while, the languorous mood starts to feel like a purely stylistic affectation, and it keeps the film from generating momentum. It's way too long.

I would recommend this only to fans of Jarmusch-style minimalism. There are enough moments of brilliance scattered throughout to make the movie worth your time, but just barely.
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