slice of life done as ensemble theatre
The beginning of the film is several vignettes introducing the seven main characters, difficulties in their lives and connections between them. Not understanding what was happening, or being aware that it wasn't conventional film-making, it initially felt disjointed to me until they all began to gather at the party.It will help to understand the second half as ensemble theatre, heightened in emotion by the camera's ability to show close facial expressions. 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us also did this, albeit with a very small cast.
It's slice of life - not everything is explained, nothing is resolved. It's a brief moment in the lives of these characters, individuals who are both themselves and representative of different aspects of gay life within Japan.
If you're open to seeing it this way, rather than conventional movie plotting and development, the ensemble work is excellent - writing, editing, cinematography and performances all coming together to create something which feels like it's approaching chaos but had to have been tightly organised to stay so clear.
(Interview indicates there was some improvisation - if it was in the group ensemble work, that's even more impressive. But it may have been in some of the smaller conversations.)
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