River (2023) [Film Review]

River; or, The Edge of Afternoon
     What will you wish for?
The year 2023 is coming to an end soon, but I managed to find some time to talk about yet another time-travel themed Japanese production. Yes, if you remember my review of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes from 2021, then please do know that the creative team behind that movie created a companion piece known as River.

Release Info

Directed by: Junta Yamaguchi Starring: Riko Fujitani, Yuki Torigoe, Manami Honjo

Language: Japanese Original Title: リバー、流れないでよ Runtime: 86 min

Synopsis
Kibune is a small town situated in the northern mountains of Kyoto. There is a local inn situated next to a river. Mikoto (Riko Fujitani), who works at the inn, stands by the river and wishes that time could stop. All of a sudden, everybody at the inn experiences a 2-minute long time loop. Time passes only between 13:56 and 13:58 and then keeps resetting itself. Workers and guests join forces to uncover the mystery behind this phenomenon. In the process, they face their personal struggles.

Let’s move time!
I guess at this point it is safe to say that director Junta Yamaguchi and writer Makoto Ueda just can’t fail when it comes to crafting intimate, heartwarming stories about ordinary individuals who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances, and have to figure out their way of the uncanny mess of a situation.

As you already know, I greatly enjoyed Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, but in my opinion, River really tops Yamaguchi’s previous directorial endeavour not only because of its obvious wackiness, but also because of palpable warmth with a touch of romance and slice-of-life shenanigans.

One could easily scoff River as a straightforward Groundhog Day knock off, but think of the film as something in between Wood Job! (2014), The Edge of Tomorrow (2014), and Back to the Future (1985). The real charm of River comes not just from the meticulous screenplay, but great cinematography, absolutely outstanding locations, and onscreen chemistry.

Speaking about the last aspect, the performances of the leads are just as great as in the case of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes. Riko Fujitani effortlessly carries the narrative as the main heroine, but the whole ensemble cast is absolutely amazing. Big shout out goes to J-Drama veteran Yoshimasa Kondo who appears in the film as a writer suffering from creative block.

To be honest, the only thing that did not entirely click with me was the ending. I do not want to get into any spoilers, but (similarly as in Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes) we get a resolution of the story straight from the realm of science fiction. Personally, I would have appreciated it if the finale was more personal rather than otherwordly.

Recommendations
All things considered, River is an outstanding movie indeed, and it could not be a better choice for Christmas time, at least for me. If you enjoyed One Cut of the Dead and Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, then you will most certainly love this movie as well. The movie is going to be available on region-free Blu-Ray and DVD from Third Window Films on the 12th of February, 2024. The releases are going to include such special features as a theatrical trailer, an interview with director Junta Yamaguchi, and a one-hour long ‘making of’ documentary.Overall score: 10/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»