Above, the man is a fraud, the fish is mechanical, in the back, the hotel clerk is a robot.
A Werner Herzog film, do not trust your eyes, do not trust your ears.
Herzog is a trickster. His documentaries often contain fictitious elements, and vice versa.
After being absent 11 years, a father arranges a meeting with 12 year old daughter Mahiro.
Only he is not her father. He is an actor hired by Mom to impersonate him.
Paid impersonators are a cottage industry in Japan, actors hired for weddings, funerals, parties, etc …
Globally, this has gone on for time immemorial (think escort services), but Japan has taken this further.
A Bride For Rip Van Winkle (2016) was the first I heard of this.
Thus noted, Herzog has given this a realistic edge, this does not feel like a movie.
The camera keeps a chilly distance, while “father” seems inappropriately close, creepy at times.
For Herzog fans, this is a good one. Just be wary.
