Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

With mise-en-scène that strongly resemblance of a stage play, there's an undeniable sort of distance between the viewers and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. At least for a while. But then Hamaguchi Ryûsuke was able to break the distance with his direction that felt both intimate and personal. In the end, the film has a lasting impact, even long after the end credit rolls.

The director showed how to create an amazing story with just a fixed scene and two actors talking to each other with some very good dialogs.

Clearly, this movie polarises viewers. For me, way better than same director's Drive My Car. As good as Burning, American Honey, Stuff and Dough, or Our Time, a few of my benchmarks for 21st century cinema.

The original Japanese title, which translates as Coincidence and Imagination, is much more apt than the clunky English title.

To illustrate his theme, the director writes the most utterly brilliant dialogue, which is sort of like 3D scrabble on steroids.

For all of that, it still needs the wonderful third reel, where the coincidences coalesce into genuine insight and wisdom, of the sort that can reduce you to sudden tears in a darkened cinema.

Hamaguchi-san, you are an ornament, go to the top of the class. I reckon the old masterful deceiver, Bunuel, will be smiling down upon you.

Among the best dialogues I've ever seen. Touching, emotional and very smart. It's the kind of film that you need to be 100% on it but it really worths. All these characters seem real and it's all about life choices.

The beauty of this movie lies in its simplicity and class. This is a classy movie with elegant characters, inspired by French cinema: Actors keep talking like there is no tomorrow. If you enjoy dialogue driven drama movies with some offbeat-comedy elements, you will enjoy it.

There are a few minor twists here and there but this is not a thrilling or exciting movie. Not groundbreaking or some kind of masterpiece either.

7.4/10. A very good movie for this genre.