Yoko

If Kumakiri went back to his genre roots with #Manhole, Yoko no doubt was made to quell his arthouse thirst. It's a dark and sullen drama, the kind Kumakiri loves to make between his more entertaining projects. And it's a good one too, it's just not up to par with his very best work.

Yoko has lived an isolated life. But when her father dies, her sister forces her to come back home. An incident at a rest stop leaves Yoko stranded. She's far away from home and she lacks the social skills to ask for help. But when she's at her wit's end, a few helpful people will restore her faith in life.

Rinko Kikuchi is a good actress, but she didn't seem to be entirely comfortable with her character. The cinematography was nice, but a bit predictable, as was the road movie structure. It's a film without any real weaknesses, the only real problem is that I've seen this type of thing done better. Good, but not one of Kumakiri's best.