In this altogether delightful triptych of stories, Ryusuke Hamaguchi once again proves that he is one of contemporary cinema’s most agile dramatists of modern love and obsession.

Whether charting the surprise revelation of a flourishing love triangle, a young couple’s revenge plot against an older teacher gone awry, or a case of mistaken romantic identity, Hamaguchi (director of Happy Hour, Asako I & II, Drive My Car) certainly possesses a fascination for depicting multifaceted women in his filmography, as he charmingly details the sudden reversals, power shifts, and role-playing that define relationships new and old.

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, is both ironic and tender, a lively and intricately woven work of imagination about the complexities of relationships, told through awkward coincidences that questions whether fate or our own vanities decide our destinies.

Screened in Japanese with English subtitles.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Japan |  2021  |  121 minutes.