Rikiya Imaizumi is a chronicler of love among urban 20-somethings in present-day Japan, which may sound like a description of every other TV drama director here.
But starting with “Sad Tea,” a selection title at the 2013 Tokyo International Film Festival, Imaizumi has carved out his own distinctive niche directing films that combine quirky comedy with close observation of human frailties; well-crafted story arcs with naturalistic dialogue. In the process, he has acquired a local fan following, if not a lot of international recognition.
I used to find his films precious and self-referential, but they’ve grown on me. Or rather, Imaizumi has refined his style and concerns, as seen in his latest, the shambolic but clear-eyed “Over the Town.”