2023, d. Junta Yamaguchi - Tubi
Preamble:
[Kent] Most time loop stories take place over the span of one day. The time loop in River takes place over the span of two minutes. As such the movie plays out in real time, but in two-minute segments.
How did the Loop Begin?
[Kent] Kibune Fujiya is a rustic inn located just outside of Kyoto, situated along the Kibune River. At the time the story starts, the winter season is giving way to spring, and most of the inn's guests have departed. The dining staff prepare for the mid-day turnover, some are meant to be cleaning, while others are going to take a nap. Mikoto (Riko Fujitani, Beautiful Dreamer) takes a moment to look upon the babbling waters of the river before heading up to clean a room. She's in mid conversation with head waiter Kohachi (Munenori Nagano, Tatami Time Machine Blues) when, suddenly, she's back, looking at the Kibune.
[Toast] Just started the movie, but OMG this is so fun! Its all so small and intimate, as we poke around all these lives, very briefly, very quickly, jumping from customer to staff to customer and then focusing on Mikoto as she stares into the waters, just before...
What was the main character's first reaction to the Loop?
[Kent] Mikoto is surprised, and finds herself rehashing the movements she made just minutes before, only to find that Kohachi is just as surprised to find himself doing the same thing again. It's not just deja vu. They've had a conversation already, aware of details unknown two minutes prior, and both are keenly aware they've cleaned this room before.
On the third loop, once Mikoto and Kohachi and their manager, and most of the rest of the staff are aware something's going on, their immediate priority is to the guests, including a stressed out serial novelist on a deadline, his editor (?) who takes a bath, and two old friends getting reacquainted over a meal. The friends are a bit concerned they will get bored of their meal over time, the writer is elated to have the pressure of a deadline removed, and the bather is freaked out because he can't get the lather out of his hair (while the staff are scandalized by his lack of clothing).
[Toast] Is this a first for time-loop movies? Is this the first large group all doing the loop together? The speed in which everyone catches on, and acknowledges in fear & confusion is just dazzling! The way Kohachi immediately shouts, "Time warp!" means this guy is well immersed in science fiction tropes.
Well, catches-on minus the customers. Man, having to maintain Customer Service while dealing with temporal mechanics is a pain. All of them yelling at the staff as if Time is something that comes with the amenities of the inn.
WHY did the main character get put into the Loop? Can someone else be brought into the Loop?
[Kent] That would be telling...which of course is exactly what we're here to do. At first, Mikoto thinks she caused the loop because she wised to the river gods that the day might never end (her boyfriend, chef Taku has decided to move to France to learn French cuisine). But the big reveal, mid-way through the third-act is we learn that the well-dressed woman in the wool raincoat (the one who we see in the temple at the start of the movie, and in one loop asks if anyone can help with her frozen engine), well, she's a time traveler, part of time patrol, like in the movies. She stayed in one place too long and the safety measures of her time machine, to prevent a paradox, caused the loop. Now it's seized and she needs help in getting it started.
[Toast] Time Patrol?!? What movies?!?! Did this movie just name-drop a pop culture reference that is only applicable to their world? I mean its not too difficult to transpose the whole idea to Doctor Who and assume the TARDIS broke down for whatever reason, but the way they just throw this into the final act in a "oh, so that explains EVERYTHING !!" makes me think the writers of this one are just messing around... with time.
Now, can someone be brought into the loop. At one point early on, The Chef confirms its not happening just outside the confines of the Kibune area, so... isn't it possible someone could enter the area and end up caught in the never ending 2 minutes?
How long is this time Loop? What resets it? Can you force the reset?
[Kent] Two minutes exactly, running from 1:56:20 pm to 1:58:20 pm.
[Toast] Yes, as Mr. I Am Just a Chef works out with his notes and his map and his little coloured stickers. He could have just stared at a watch.
How long does the main character stay in the Loop? Does it have any affect on them, their personality, their outlook?
[Kent] There are around 30 loops altogether, so they're really only trapped in at time loop for 60 minutes, but it does wind up having an effect. At one point one of the staff of a nearby establishment snaps and starts attacking the other staff, while the two friends start coming to blows, and the writer throws himself out a window. But, Mikoto and Taku use the time to be together, running off on quick two-minute adventure dates, getting chased by the others as Mikoto accidentally reveals she thinks her wish caused the loop. It gives everyone time, time they need to resolve their issues, talk through their feelings, work through the problems they're encountering, and feel the sense of tranquility that the inn and river provide the guests but rarely are afforded to the busy staff.
[Toast] Two Minute Adventure Dates. Snort. Every couple needs Adventure Dates, and likely someone benefit from the condensed time frame.
Their use of the "learn something important" trope of loopties is hilariously heavy handed here. Things get dark, really dark, really quickly. Come on people, pull yourself together! Its been less than an hour! And just the idea that they only needed about 20 minutes to put their lives back together is just .... shake head and grin.
What about the other people in the Loop? Are they aware? Can they become aware? Does anything happen if they become aware?
[Kent] One of the chefs is a science major and spends all his time studying the phenomenon. He learns that the effect of the loop is limited only to a certain area, and that everyone within it is affected. What never happens is anyone is able to traverse into or outside of the sphere of the loop. It's too broad to travel in two minutes.
[Toast] Maybe that's why the car keeps crashing off camera -- they are trying to escape?
What does the main character think about the other people in the Loop? Are they real? Do they matter?
[Kent] For the most part, they all act like they're in this situation together. The confrontations aren't about the situation, but about recessed personal issues that they eventually work through.
[Toast] Yes, they do still maintain their humanity but at the very least, the Writer plays with the idea that if they can just keep on looping, then they can play with their own reality. He realizes death is not instantaneous. Eek.
Most memorable event in a Loop? Most surprising event during a Loop?
[Kent] I really enjoyed the romantic part of the loop, as Mikoto and Taku kept trying to elude the others and just get a few peaceful moments to themselves. There's not far you can run in two minutes but their efforts are adorable.
The most surprising thing was that the weather both does and doesn't seem to be affected by the loop. A snow storm does come, as predicted, but your young lovers still race about it in, as it comes down heavier and heavier with each successive loop, until finally a loop resets everything and it's lush and green out again, with maybe only a hint of white. It's the most perplexing part of the movie (which I assume has everything to do with budget and shooting time in the location and not plot or continuity).
[Toast] Now that ! That is the most perplexing thing about all this... Its Winter but then ... its Spring? There are most definitely buds on the trees at the end and the characters do notice but... are they all going to find out that the entire season passed them by while they experienced the totality of an hour? Timey Wimey messed up shit? If so, the Writer totally missed his deadline and that guy's business likely went under in his absence.
Or... maybe... even years?
How does this stack up in the subgenre?
[Kent] It's always fascinating to see the time loop utilized in new and unique ways, and I had never even contemplated a loop of this duration before, nor one where everyone is in on the loop. Done as a sort of French-style comedic farce, full of frantic energy and constant movement about the limited environment (we really get a nice map of the place after a while...seems very beautiful there). I enjoyed this very, very much. It's not a deep movie, but it is sweet, fun, and quite amusing.
[Toast] This might be one of my favourite examples of the sub-genre ever. "If this was a scifi movie then...." Turns out they were in a scifi movie. BOOP.
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