Japanese Story

This begins unpromisingly, setting the scene for an odd couple rom com. Geologist Collette reluctantly accompanies Japanese businessman Tsunashima on a field trip to the Western Australian desert. Then they break down in the middle of nowhere and take a turn into scarier territory. After which something still less expected and more nightmarish occurs, and the film transforms into an intelligent, insightful and very affecting study of guilt and grief. Collette comes into her own quite splendidly in the second half, the sheer intensity of her peformance matching the almost hypnotically dreamlike quality of the images and pacing. Taking its cue from her character, the narrative at times virtually ceases to advance, pausing to meditate on the meaning (or absence of meaning) of what's happened. Fascinating.