Co-written by Hamaguchi with Tadashi Nohara and Tomoyuki Takahashi, Happy Hour truly takes its sweet time, with scenes that luxuriate in their length. While the performances from a largely unknown cast can sway between convincing and stilted, there are no fast cuts or trims here, as Hamaguchi allows conversations to unfold gently, probing ever deeper into his characters.

One scene sees the quartet encounter a New Age guru who puts them through a series of trust exercises – a perfect symbol for the bond these women form. By the time it cuts, you’ll feel like you’ve been there for a half-hour session yourself.

As characters grow, build, and become more familiar, it’s a film that offers rich rewards and the occasional blowout moment, not least when Akari finds herself crowd-surfing in a club – a delightfully unexpected but kinetic scene.

Best of all, Hamaguchi and his co-writers truly dig into the female experience. While one character notes “women are always a mystery to me”, it’s not something you could ever accuse this elegant film of perpetuating.