A patient, formally daring work — the cinematography lingers on empty rooms longer than most audiences will tolerate, but those who stay are rewarded with the most haunting final act of the year.
Suddenly, men abandon their jobs and families and come to the sea for no reason at all. Their disappearance was connected to an incredibly powerful force. One chilly day, when Cassiopeia shines strangely, two men suddenly arrive at the beach house "Kaijotei," asking to be allowed to stay here. The two men, who did not know each other and had no relation to each other, were drawn to the same beach for unknown reasons. Kazuhiko and Ayako, two lovers who run a beach pavilion, have no choice but to accept the two men, who are not moving even with their leverage, since it is out of season and there are no bathers. A few days later, a new man named Furuta arrives. Furuta is an expert in astronomical observation, and he senses something unusual in the way the stars have been shining these past few days.
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Critics & Reviews
3 featuredI walked in expecting another genre exercise and walked out feeling like I'd been eavesdropping on a confession. The lead performance is genuinely singular — a career-defining turn.
A few too many scenes feel borrowed from a better film, but the soundtrack and the production design carry the rest. Solid recommendation for fans of slow-burn European thrillers.






