Vibrator

Ryuichi Hiroki's compelling drama focuses on a very unlikely protagonist: Rei, a thirtysomething writer fighting the triple-tag-team demons of alcoholism, bulimia, and depression. At a late-night liquor store, she meets a young truck driver named Okabe and impulsively invites herself into his vehicle. What could have been a fleeting one-night stand turns into a fascinating chronicle of dissimilar personalities finding common ground. Both are technically freelance operators (Rei is a journalist setting her own assignments, Okabe is a for-hire driver), but whereas Okabe is at ease with his solitary lifestyle, Rei is psychologically adrift and isolated. Their brief relationship is unequal on many levels, yet the sexual and emotional bonds swiftly created provide for an intensely dramatic experience. Vibrator (the title refers to Rei's annoying cell phone, not a sex toy) is basically a two-character film, featuring remarkable performances by Shinobu Terashima as Rei and Nao Omori as Okabe. A challenging and often haunting dissection of loneliness, vulnerability, and self-destruction, this is highly recommended. (P. Hall)