‘River’ Movie Review [Fantastic Fest 2023]: A Heartfelt Sci-Fi Gem
Photo from Fantastic Fest
From Jeff Nelson
Time travel frequently transforms into wonky, lazy storytelling, especially when combined with the latest craze of the multiverse. However, that isn’t the case for Junta Yamaguchi’s delightful River, which blends comedy, sci-fi, and romance into a concise, yet meaningful 86 minutes filled with laughs and sentimentality.
A small, established Japanese inn hits its slow time of year in the winter, continuing to tend to its remaining clientele. However, a waitress named Mikoto (Riko Fujitani) finds herself suddenly snap back to the river behind the inn every two minutes. She isn’t the only one, as every person in the tiny village is reset to wherever they were two minutes prior but with knowledge of what came before. They will have to find a way to work together if they hope to discover what caused the time loop and how to escape it before utter madness ensues.
River takes time travel in a bit of a different direction, causing a time loop of only two minutes. The characters only have 120 seconds to scramble around before they’re reset to their starting point, some of which are less decent than others. Screenwriter Makoto Ueda never takes the subject matter too seriously, allowing the players to test theories and engage in comical antics. Everybody retains their memory from their previous two-minute intervals, resulting in consequences for poor decisions.
The relationships between the employees and the customers at the inn grow increasingly complicated as the story unravels. Each client has their own intention for deciding to stay at the inn during winter, some of which growing increasingly troublesome due to the time loop. Love, resentment, regret, and spirituality are all a part of this genre-bending typhoon, as rivalries and romances come to a head.
Yamaguchi’s two-minute loop allows him to explore several comedic bits without them wearing out their welcome. The more they repeat the same period of time, the more bizarre the gags become. The jokes land fairly consistently, especially when it comes to testing the limitations of the loop and using it to both their advantage and disadvantage.
The secrets behind the time loop aren’t quite as compelling as some of the group’s initial beliefs as to what caused it. However, it still fits River’s quirky style. Yamaguchi’s direction particularly excels here, providing this ensemble and their circumstance with a light-hearted and infectious quality. Between the gorgeous sets and Kazunari Kawagoe’s beautiful cinematography, the small-scale setting constantly pops.
River is a fetchingly playful time-looper with a heart of gold. It’s a smoothly-paced, feel-good movie that never outstays its welcome. Fujitani’s charming central performance and Yamaguchi’s strong direction make for an overall engaging comedy that understands how to keep its rhythm.
Rating: 3.5/5
River played at Fantastic Fest 2023 on September 24th, 2023.
