Happy Hour (2015) by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi

Film screening of Happy Hour (2015). Part of the Walker Art Center series “Ryūsuke Hamaguchi: Effect and Cause.” Four female friends from Kobe, Japan, maneuver the complexities of work, domesticity, and romance and are ultimately forced to reevaluate the bonds of their friendship in this immersive, five-hour saga of unparalleled emotional rigor. The film’s expansive cinematic duration allows Hamaguchi the space to expertly unspool intricate details of character and storytelling. 2015, Japan, DCP, in Japanese with English subtitles, 317 min. The film will be screened with a 20-minute intermission.