“There will never be another you” goes the old song. Then again, some people believe in doppelgangers, doubles to living humans who are ghostly in form and malign in intent.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Asako I & II,” which screened in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, blends that musical sentiment with the spook factor of a dodgy double. The title heroine, Asako (Erika Karata), successively falls in love with two guys who could be identical twins, but are strangers to each other and polar opposites in character (both are played by the versatile Masahiro Higashide). One is flighty, self-centered and charismatic; the other loyal, considerate and ever so slightly dull. In romantic drama terms, no contest.
Unable to view this article?
This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software.
Please add japantimes.co.jp and piano.io to your list of allowed sites.
If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see out this support page.
We humbly apologize for the inconvenience.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.