An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction, and a chance encounter with the past. Propelled by coincidence and imagination, and guided by love’s gentle current, acclaimed director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (HAPPY HOUR, ASAKO I & II) returns with an enchanting triptych that spins mundane encounters into a world of infinite possibilities.
In Episode 1: Magic (or Something Less Assuring), a young woman is startled when she realizes that her best friend’s new flame might just be her ex. In Episode 2: Door Wide Open, a disgruntled student plots to trick his college professor, using his friend-with-benefits as bait. And in Episode 3: Once Again, a girl’s college reunion leads to an unanticipated run-in with an old friend, and awakens feelings long since forgotten. Playfully inspired by life’s tiny miracles, and bound together by memory, regret, deception and fate, Hamaguchi leaves no stone unturned in his quest to chart the ever-deepening mysteries of the all-too-human heart.
The first of two new films from esteemed auteur Ryûsuke Hamaguchi — keep an eye out for his masterful DRIVE MY CAR coming soon.
“A poignant, sometimes piercing triptych of tales, each one predicated on chance encounters and romantic possibilities, it finds Hamaguchi in playful, beguiling and quietly affecting form.” —Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times “Hamaguchi has a beautiful outlook on mistakes and the complex emotions that make up humanity, and his tenderness toward each character he brings to life makes him one of the best storytellers working today.” —Jenny Nulf, Austin Chronicle “...An alternately scathing, erotic, terrifying, and affirming fable of the primordial power of storytelling.” —Chuck Bowen, Slant Magazine
