Mayonaka

This Neo-noir styled character drama follows three emotionally detached, spiritually damaged characters through the dark, neon spotted, Tokyo night. Each broken by lost hopes and disappointment, they take to the streets to find something or someone to validate their loneliness and even perhaps fill the emptiness.

We learn that one of the characters plans to commit suicide ant the end of the evening; another character loses his job and drunkenly insults his boss. The boss, once alone, sits quietly in an outdoor cafe looking at his phone longingly at photos of his dog. The drama here is not in what happens next. What keeps us tied to these characters is the way circumstances provoke them to reveal themselves - to each other, to themselves, and to us, watching the film.

Robert Capria, writer, director, cinematographer, and editor, confidently urges the viewer to keep watching; we wonder, even worry about these characters. What are they going to do next, where is this film leading? Capria focuses our attention firmly upon the people we follow, achieving, moment by moment, a genuine sense of lives being randomly lived, moments of connection and moments of loss flowing back and forth across the screen, leading to some irrevocable conclusion. The acting is impeccable, as is the entire visual display that Capria seems to causally create on his small budget, drawing us deeper and deeper into the dark and into the lives of these characters.

A deeply moving, visually compelling independent film, well worth an audiences' attention.

This film is a success. No clichés, all finesse, love, humour and intelligence. The subject is a difficult and delicate one to deal with, but here it is sublimated. The script is fine, surprising and on the good side of surprising. The acting is very good, remarkable even. The lighting, the shots and the choice of editing are perfectly in tune with the subject and reflect a sharp, successful direction. You can feel the thought, work and passion behind these beautiful images. Bravo, this film deserves to be seen by as many people as possible, and it's worth far more than most of the films already on the big screen. He touched me deeply.

I loved the documentary feel to this movie and could really relate to and feel the emotions of these two characters. The main actors Nanami Akatsuki (Kumi) and Tsuyoshi Takashiro (Akira) did an outstanding job as I really could feel their pain and suffering so pure and raw. The cinematography and direction was also very well done. Although I have never been to Tokyo I really had a sense that I was there living in those moments with these very believable characters that evening. As a debut by writer/director/cinematographer Robert Capria I can only look forward to his next production. If you consider the very small budget this movie was done with it is really outstanding!

Mayonaka is an exceptional indie film because it does not prescribe to a plot-driven structure. Though the outcome of the film is far from certain we know it's heading toward a definitive conclusion, either good or bad. This built-in tension ramps up throughout, as the story of three characters unfolds. It's clear what's at stake but I couldn't predict how it would end for all of them. The film is very well cast with immersive performances and a Cassavetes-like approach to realism and location. Though it's a small film, it feels much bigger in scope with a great final moment you won't see coming!