This sudden and uncertain May-December romance (more like May-September) is fascinating to watch unfold and its wintery setting beautifully compliments its brittle and pained histories that hang about the characters and that is thawed by this unexpected passion.

At first she doesnt respond, but he finally gets her into a conversation when he offers her lunch.

Thus begins Saito Koichis famous romantic thriller, The Rendezvous.

The woman turns out to be a murderer on parole, whist the man a runaway accused of assault and robbery.

The woman asks the man to wait two years until she is released from jail.

Beautiful people, beautiful photography, beautiful music, and the right amount of melancholia.

Bittersweet love story full of melancholy perfectly applied through blueish, cold palette.

Settings of this drama are train, snowy landscapes and town by the cold and endless sea.

The changing landscapes constantly remind us how the time is short.

Hagiwara Kenichi gives sympathetic performance as small crook to whom life hasnt been kind.

Its no wonder why he falls in love with mysterious woman played by wonderful Kishi Keiko whom I remember from Ichikawas Younger Brother (actually, I knew I had seen her somewhere but it wasnt until I checked IMDb when I remembered her).

For those who have weak spot for bittersweet romances with calm pace and full of atmosphere, The Rendezvous offers another unforgettable experience.

I hadnt heard of the director or any of the actors, but the film had a decent rating (6.8) on IMDB, so I figured it was worth a shot.

Its a pretty simple story, a mysterious woman is traveling by train across the coast of Japan where she meets a younger man who hounds her for attention and she continually rebukes his attempts to converse with her.

Asides from that, the lyrical music score and the dismal ending are effectively poignant, one that could stick in your mind for a very long time.

On that basis alone, this popular Japanese romance is a favourite.

He pursues her, eventually winning over her cautiousness and propriety and discovering her own checkered past.

The Rendezvous Movie