Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)

Three separate stories intertwined with themes of love and fate

The Very Best

8.9

Movie

Japan
Japanese
Drama, Romance
2021
RYUSUKE HAMAGUCHI
Aoba Kawai, Ayumu Nakajima, Fusako Urabe
121 min

What it's about

An unexpected love triangle, a seduction trap, and a random encounter are the three episodes, told in three movements to depict three female characters and trace the trajectories between their choices and regrets.

The take

From Drive My Car director Ryusuke Hamaguchi comes another film featuring long drives, thoughtful talks, and unexpected twists. An anthology of three short stories, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy ponders over ideas of love, fate, and the all-too-vexing question, “what if?” 

What if you didn’t run away from the one you love? What if you didn’t give in to lust that fateful day? What if, right then and there, you decide to finally forgive?

Big questions, but without sacrificing depth, Hamaguchi does the incredible task of making every single second feel light and meaningful. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy will leave you with mixed emotions: excited, startled, dejected, hopeful. But one thing you won’t feel is regret over watching this instant classic of a film.

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