Combing the concept of the body-swap with a ghost story, a teen-romance, and a narrative that focuses on music seems like a good idea to sell tickets, particularly when the whole thing is presented through an adequate-budgeted production. The result in this case is somewhat generic, but also interesting on a number of levels.
Our 30-minute Sessions is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Sota is an introverted college student, who has no friends or social life, to the point that even the people who interview him for any kind of work are deterred by his overall attitude. One day, however, he discovers a cassette tape of music, from an artist who used to be a member of a now disbanded group, who died the year before. Furthermore, when Sota plays the tape, Aki takes over his body for half an hour, although he still lingers around his “host” the rest of the time. Aki is the exact opposite of Sota, being social, fearless, and outgoing, an attitude that initially annoys Sota, particularly since Aki is set on getting his former band together again through his newfound life, but soon realizes the benefits such a co-existence can have. As Aki also tries to reach his former girlfriend, Kana, Sota finds himself realizing all his hidden wishes, and in the process, maturing as a person. A conflict, however, soon also emerges.
Obviously aiming at a teen audience, Kentaro Hagiwara directs a movie that embeds a plethora of elements this target groups finds appealing, which extend, apart from the ones already mentioned, to handsome and appealing protagonists and aesthetics that very frequently point towards music videos. Add to all that a bit of humor, a bit of (romantic) drama and the concept of coming-of-age through extreme situations, and you have the backbone of the narrative.
However, Hagiwara has managed to combine all these elements quite harmonically, resulting in a film that may be quite generic, but is also very entertaining to watch, particularly for those who enjoy folk music. The main source of entertainment, and essentially of almost all the elements that comprise the narrative, results from the coexistence of two radically different characters, and the way their interactions provide them both with a second chance in life, even if in completely different terms. In that fashion, the chemistry of Mackenyu Arata as Aki and Takumi Kitamura as Sota is quite good, with Hagiwara also exploiting the antithesis that derives from their appearances, with the former being idol-like and the latter more of a “normal” individual.
At the same time, the comments about reaching maturity, second chances, grief, and the benefits of persistence are also well-presented, although through a rather light, saccharine approach that fits the overall, easy-going aesthetics of the film
Technically, the movie is on a very high level, with Keisuke Imamura's cinematography presenting all the aforementioned concepts with artistry, without any exaltation, through a rather polished approach. The editing allows the film to unfold with a very fitting, relatively fast pace, which, when combined with the many different settings, highlights the overall high level of production.
“Our 30-Minute Sessions” is a generic film that provides, however, much entertainment as a title that is easy to watch as much as to forget.
