This is a tale of what might go on behind the scenes in the lives of successful (think: upper middle class) and award-winning novelists whose fictional creations are, of course, often based on past and ongoing personal experiences. Writer and Director Rikiya Imaizumi has concocted a fascinating mix of events and subplots including a serial writer of best sellers whose mistress is the wife of his closest friend who in turn is enamored with the recent recipient of a major writing award and still in high school. The mistress is the successful editor of her lover's novels while her husband (the best friend) stopped writing after the publication of his first novel and is now an unhappy freelance journalist who remains confused about why he stopped writing. The excellent script is filled with subtle humor and enables long scenes (up to five minutes or more) to occur that explore in-depth character psychology and allows actors to show emotional changes (as they occur) that the viewer simply can not resist (the camera never moves). Cinematography, lighting, and editing are excellent. Subtitles seem close enough. A fine film for grownups about grownups. Viewed at a JICC Virtual J-Film event. WILLIAM FLANIGAN.
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