Wow

Wow

5 hours and 17 minutes. 

One of the longest Japanese movies. The longest movie I’ve ever seen.

This was quite the experience, one that I won’t soon forget. You spend so much time with these characters and their respective stories, that by the end of the film you feel like you’ve known them for a long time (more than 5 hours!!). 

The only gripe I have with Happy Hour is that I felt the script stretched some of its scenes needlessly. But I was never bored, though, because Hamaguchi always finds a way to end each scene on a high note.

5 hours and 17 minutes. 

One of the longest Japanese movies. The longest movie I’ve ever seen.

This was quite the experience, one that I won’t soon forget. You spend so much time with these characters and their respective stories, that by the end of the film you feel like you’ve known them for a long time (more than 5 hours!!). 

The only gripe I have with Happy Hour is that I felt the script stretched some of its scenes needlessly. But I was never bored, though, because Hamaguchi always finds a way to end each scene on a high note.

that's life

that's life

i’ll admit my attention drifted during the film’s first quarter, but by the final hour, i was completely absorbed. happy hour explores marriage, divorce, midlife, friendship, and love with a striking sense of objectivity. Hamaguchi's deliberate choice to simply present these lives as they are gives the viewer the space to form their own perspective onto the story.

while watching, i found myself wanting to spend a little longer in everyone’s company. it felt like coming home after a long day with friends, when the joy fades and you are left with a sort of emptiness. at the same time, i recognized pieces of myself in Jun’s husband, and that recognition was a little unsettling.

i’ll admit my attention drifted during the film’s first quarter, but by the final hour, i was completely absorbed. happy hour explores marriage, divorce, midlife, friendship, and love with a striking sense of objectivity. Hamaguchi's deliberate choice to simply present these lives as they are gives the viewer the space to form their own perspective onto the story.

while watching, i found myself wanting to spend a little longer in everyone’s company. it felt like coming home after a long day with friends, when the joy fades and you are left with a sort of emptiness. at the same time, i recognized pieces of myself in Jun’s husband, and that recognition was a little unsettling.

I feel like the last hour and a half is the most difficult to sit through, however the film is amazing, the emotional weight that everyone puts into their acting and into the film itself is amazing.

This is my 3rd Hamaguchi film and he is turning out to be a master in everything he does.

I feel like the last hour and a half is the most difficult to sit through, however the film is amazing, the emotional weight that everyone puts into their acting and into the film itself is amazing.

This is my 3rd Hamaguchi film and he is turning out to be a master in everything he does.