'Between Two Lovers': Bold Poly Drama Pulls Its Punches — SkimNews
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- Nanako Hirose's sophomore feature 'Between Two Lovers' debuted in Competition at the Busan Film Festival, starring Masami Nagasawa, Tasuku Emoto, and Shizuka Ishibashi.
- The plot centers on children's author Uta (Nagasawa), who proposes that her husband Morio (Emoto) serve as sperm donor for her secret girlfriend Junna (Ishibashi), allowing all three to cohabitate and co-parent.
- Junna faces legal barriers as an unmarried woman seeking fertility treatment and sperm donation in Japan — restrictions the film acknowledges but ultimately adheres to, according to the review.
- The review criticizes Hirose's screenplay for choosing 'the least interesting or challenging direction,' with the film repeatedly opting for narrative compromises over dramatizing the volatile scenario's explosive potential.
- Hirokazu Kore-eda's influence is visible throughout, as the film raises questions about family structures, women's societal roles, and outdated expectations while echoing the mentor's characteristic restraint.
- Performances are praised across the board, with Nagasawa playing against type as a 'frustratingly selfish' protagonist and Ishibashi's Junna bearing the brunt of the film's moralizing as the relationship's more conventional figure.
- Technical contributions from production designer Ryo Sugimoto — who created subtly contrasting living spaces for Uta's dual existence — and composer HIMI are polished, though overshadowed by the contentious narrative choices.
Why it matters: The film's Busan Competition debut and Nagasawa's international recognition ensure broad distribution, but its capitulation to — rather than confrontation of — Japan's legal restrictions on unmarried women and same-sex couples seeking fertility treatment will frustrate the progressive audiences it courts. A bold premise undone by cautious execution.
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