Candid Camera: Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 'Happy Hour'

A study of both Japanese society generally and the minutiae of individual life that exist within it, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi's mammoth five-hour film portrays the little pleasures and lingering relationships of four thirtysomething women, along with the colourful characters they encounter. As Happy Hour shows, life – like conversation – can be meandering, but when depicted on film by a director with skill, it can be beautifully so, writes Anthony Carew.

Additional keywords: Ryusuke, friendship, slow cinema, growth, time.