River

Somewhat of a turning point in Hiroki's career. After a slew of dramas that ping-ponged back and forth between edgy and arthouse, River is a film that explores a more traditional drama setup. It's a good film, but knowing Hiroki's strengths, it's not entirely satisfactory, and it left me a little wanting.

When Hikari's friend is murdered, she removes herself from the world around her. Hikari's friends are worried and they slowly convince her to come out of her shell. Hikari starts roaming around Akihabara, where she meets all different kinds of people, who are each battling their own demons.

My biggest gripe is that River is two films in one. The first half was the most gripping, then it suddenly became a post-tsunami drama. And it's not that the material or the execution was bad, the second half has some poignant scenes, it just didn't feel part of the film I'd been watching up until that point. Otherwise a solid drama, just don't expect prime Hiroki.