Because of the low IMDB rating compared to other films by the director my expectations were low, however this changed to a pleasant surprise. The film began and ended in a rural setting, and the middle section was urban. Likewise, the middle section centered more on the romantic lives of the main characters, whereas the bookends were somewhat more focused on water rights issues and the conflict between the rural people and developers. The performances were quite good, particularly Ineko Arima. The camera loved her, and dwelled on her often. Like many Japanese films, the emotions expressed were quite genuine and powerful, yet subtle. I really love finding these hidden gem-like underappreciated films! My only criticism is that the film seemed at times like it was edited down from something a bit longer. Several scenes seemed like the ends were cut a bit too abruptly, and then sometimes even the same person would just suddenly be elsewhere. It would be fascinating to ask the director or editor what happened, but alas this will not be. Just give more minutes of footage might have corrected this. However I highly recommend this film!
