Joe Odagiri

Impressive second "debut" from Joe Odagari. Though he clearly benefited from his industry connections (Nagase, Aoi & Asano in the cast, Christopher Doyle behind the camera), it's equally obvious Odagari had a clear vision for his first feature. I hadn't expected such a slow and deliberate film, but the result is a tremendous mood piece that captivated me from the very start and didn't let go until the last credit had disappeared from the screen. I just hope this isn't Odagari's last film as a director.