River

"Another "two minutes""

2023 1h 26m JA

👍

6.8

SOLID

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

⭐

6.9

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 122🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes★6.9IMDB · 2,843

ComedyScience FictionFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The one-hundred-year-old Fujiya inn stands in the quiet region of Kyoto. Mikoto is standing in front of the Kibune river at the back of the building when she is called back to work. But two minutes later, she finds herself back at the river again. The whole inn seems to be stuck in a time loop!

“Another "two minutes"”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Riko Fujitani
Mikoto
Yuki Torigoe
Taku
Munenori Nagano
Head Clerk
Takashi Sumita
Head Chef
Masashi Suwa
Nomiya
Gota Ishida
Kusumi
Haruki Nakagawa
Sugiyama
Kazunari Tosa
Hunter

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Junta Yamaguchi
Writers: Makoto Ueda
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, shot by Kazunari Kawagoe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Koji Takimoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Junta Yamaguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Riko Fujitani and Yuki Torigoe and Munenori Nagano carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Another "two minutes"".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Junta Yamaguchi directs. Kazunari Kawagoe behind the camera. Koji Takimoto scores. Junta Yamaguchi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 3 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, shot by Kazunari Kawagoe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Koji Takimoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Junta Yamaguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Riko Fujitani and Yuki Torigoe and Munenori Nagano carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Another "two minutes"".
9IMDB entry: tt27695005 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kazunari Kawagoe
Original score: Koji Takimoto
Editing: Junta Yamaguchi
Runtime: 86 min · 1h 26m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: River (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 6.9/10 · 2,843 votes
MPAA: TV-PG

Awards

3 wins & 2 nominations total

Also by

Junta Yamaguchi

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Chris Sawin2023-08-09
★ 7/10
Besides the comedy, River feels like a more polished version of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (BTITM) in every aspect. It’s still humorous, but just lacks the audible laughs BTITM had. Even though they’re similar in concept, River has an entire area stuck in this time paradox — much like a Bermuda Triangle for its 96-minute run time. River is smartly written, has a fantastic cast, and is beautifully filmed. Full review: https://bit.ly/2imeloop

Production companies