Asako I & II

The story certaintly has an interesting premise in concept, but the execution is shallow. Theres nothing to this movie, read the description and you've pretty much got the movie, her first boyfriend disappears, she gets together with "Asako" 2-----thats it. Actually watching the movie will not take you much further than that. Its also painfully cringe with the dumb/childish women trope.

Nothing is ever explained, people in the movie just act weird for no reason, leading to "dramatic" moments.

'Undine' 2020 has similarities with the 1 girl/ 2 guys and is better than this, if you're going to give something a go, watch that instead.

The opening scenes reflect the rest of the movie, simultaneously very down-to-earth and readily truculent, resulting in a mix of stark still shots (very well composed) allied to a mise-en-scène that's quite surprising at times. The resolution of the final twist continues after a stylized seascape that could have been the start of the end credits, and offers a sequel to the events in a way that is as concrete and plausible as it is tender. This dichotomy between slice-of-life narration and impromptu events is at the heart of the story, and many parallels can be drawn with this same dynamic:

• the two identical men in Asako's life,
• Tokyo and Osaka,
• water and its inopportune rain, the earth and its powerful quakes,
• Asako in contrast to her two much more outgoing and vivacious friends,
• insane freedom, liberating but destructive compared to stability and deep love built over the long term.

The actors are all very convincing, the friendships are powerful and the dialogue well-written. Although I'm not bothered by Asako's character, as she seems to me to stem more from the Japanese archetype of an irrepressibly shy, diaphanous woman who can nonetheless demonstrate unsuspected strength, it's undeniable that she's not entirely compelling enough to carry the story; her few unpredictable antics are interesting, but when she's in her more mute state, the actress struggles to convince that she's in the grip of Cornelian torments in her innermost being. Her characterization is too disjointed in general, and not by design.

The balance isn't perfect, the romantic relationships are rather conventional (Baku is almost non-existent for most of the film and is devoid of the slightest personality) and we're often far more interested in seeing the lives of the secondary characters. Perhaps a slight overindulgence in unexpected scenes takes precedence over the coherence of the narrative. A fine job with the atmosphere, though. Decent soundtrack, unconvincing out of context.

Very keen on seeing what else Hamaguchi has up his sleeve.

Sleeping or Waking was an odd movie.

The story was good and the romance was really intense. I liked how they presented the relationship and its course. The two had great chemistry and that helped a lot with the progress of the drama. However, the ending twist was really not good. It felt out of the blue and kind of unexpected. Also, it annoyed me how the character did what she did and they didn't explained it properly.

So, six and a half out of ten for sleeping or waking, because of the wierd ending and the not so great twist about the character who went missing.

Part of my accidental trilogy of "love" films in Oct 2022, this film shares some aspects with "Marriage is a Crazy Thing." That aspect of a "grass is greener" approach to romance; the power of the flirt/affair/infatuation vs a day-to-day reliable relationship.

Recently I've also been making my way through director Hamaguchi-san's catalog. I enjoy his lingering on scenes, one man battling against the ADD urging of our consumer society. He often leaves the camera fixed absent of characters, inviting introspection. He also likes the ironic juxtaposition of a character in some mode of transportation, but not really moving personally.

Anyways, I did not find this movie slow at all and disagree with those who did.

Perhaps an ongoing observation from Hamaguchi, or maybe on Japan, is the role of the small community in individual lives. I'm thinking in particular of the friends of Asako and Ryohei, and how their relationship is woven into and seen through that larger circle. Some deeply personal moments happen in public settings, contrast this with the Korean covert relationship in "Marriage is a Crazy Thing" or the USA "Meet Cute" where the community surrounding our eternal lovers is comprised almost entirely of service workers: bartender, nail salon worker and a maitre d.

In the US, others are inherently extras? Hmmmm....

Anyways, if Asako is Cinderella here, it is almost surprising that she has to choose between comfy sneakers and stylish but not so functional glass slippers. There is a sort of urban fairy tale concocted via a doppelganger (meanwhile Hamaguchi saves on acting costs with a 2-for-1 deal on leading men;>).

Ultimately the film is a gentle study in trying to grow up, but especially when balanced against that power of the first love/flirtation/etc. I know the title of the film alludes to the two faces of Asako, but the title of my review refers to what happens to Ryohei after the credits roll. I find that interesting to think about and appreciate those who forgive even if forgetting is not an option.

Another askew interpretation (my favorite kind!) for the film might be the importance of raising a kitten. I was curious to look up the name of their pet cat and found

"The name Jintan combines the Confucian term jin ( humaneness, benevolence), with the Daoist term tan (cinnabar, pills containing cinnabar, pills (the Elixir of life)) evoking the notion of longevity and health."

The main character doesn't seem like a real person. Towards the end of the movie, her actions are wrenching for everyone. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to any particular reason for them.

Other than this, the movie can be boring. There's no reason it could not have been 90 minutes instead of two hours.

Earlier in the movie there was an awkward scene at a party that I could have done without.

I've seen hundreds of Japanese movies. Too often they are depressing and/or harrowing. Lately, opaque characters who are randomly destructive are cropping up.

WARNING: If you do see this movie at a theater, it looks like it might have no previews and starts right on time.