Preview Present] Ryusuke Hamaguchi's film based on Haruki Murakami's fascinating short story. The past, lies and illusions start running in "Drive My Car".

The phrase "the times will catch up with us" is an overused one, but perhaps it was really intended for him.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi is the director of many high-profile films, including "Happy Hour" and "Sleep or Awake". He repeatedly makes the actors in front of the camera trace (or sometimes not trace) the plot of the story, and then scoops up the beauty and fragility that is born through these traces. His unique directorial approach has been slowly gaining fans in recent years and is attracting attention not only in Japan but also from around the world.

The new film, "Drive My Car," has been officially entered in the Competition section of the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and has already attracted much attention. The film is based on Haruki Murakami's short story of the same title.

story
Yusuke Iefuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is a stage actor and director. He lives a contented life with his playwright wife, Oto (Kirishima Karen), but Oto suddenly disappears from the world, leaving behind a secret. Two years later, Iefuku is asked to direct a play at a theater festival and heads for Hiroshima in his beloved Saab. There, he meets Misaki (Miura Toruko), the taciturn driver of the Saab. Iefuku lives with a sense of loss, but as he spends time with Misaki, he realizes something that he had been turning away from until then.

The story is carried forward by Ryusuke Hamaguchi's masterful dialogue and the actors from Japan, Korea, and China who deliver it. The multinational cultures and languages jump around, intertwine, and sometimes collide with each other, creating a mysterious space. The film is set up in three "places" (a home, a car, and a stage), and how the places and people interact with each other is another highlight.

The characters who live in the film are played by well-known actors. Hidetoshi Nishijima plays the main character and director, Reika Kirishima his wife, Masaki Okada his junior actor, and Toruko Miura his personal driver. The subtle changes in facial expressions, which cannot be seen in other productions, are a must-see.

Iefuku, who was predeceased by a loved one, and Misaki, who has never known love. When the past, which they have spun to protect themselves, unexpectedly appears in front of them, what decision did each of them make?

It may be impossible for anyone, let alone the times, to catch up with Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who is entering a phase unknown to us.

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