Riko Fujitani as Mikoto in River Image via Third Window Films By Ima Ifum Published Sep 4, 2026, 11:55 PM EDT Imaobong Ifum (Ima) is a Features and Resources writer at Collider, where she gets to geek out about entertainment while managing the occasional hiring process. With over six years of freelancing experience, Ima’s career has been a bit of a whirlwind, in her words, "It’s been nothing short of an adventure." Ima’s love for writing goes beyond words on a page, it’s about creating something meaningful that resonates with people. Whether it’s breaking down why sitcoms still slap or helping Collider fans navigate the entertainment world, she’s always up for a challenge. Plus, writing gives her an excuse to procrastinate with a good movie and call it “research.” She’s got a BA in Journalism and an M. Litt in Ancient Cultures (because why not?), but she’s always known her heart belongs to pop culture. Her philosophy? Keep learning, keep growing, and always have snacks on hand. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us Add on Google Preferred Source Google News Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Listen Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Imagine being stuck in a time loop, but it's a measly two-minute interval instead of days or even hours. The not-so-pleasant cherry on top is that everyone remembers it. That’s the outlandish, yet vaguely familiar, premise River is built on. The sci-fi comedy is set in a seemingly idyllic Japanese village and updates the typical run-of-the-mill time loop storyline , putting its characters in a bizarre, two-minute cycle of déjà vu. Perhaps what makes this film so clever is the fact that the short loops don’t leave the narrative lacking. The director, Junta Yamaguchi , makes it so that the movie squeezes an incredible amount of humor, heart, and a quality story into every repeat.
The time loop concept is certainly not unique to River, with films like Happy Death Day and Edge of Tomorrow preceding it. However, River is full of twists and turns that make it come across as refreshingly original. The characters’ desperate yet hilarious attempts to make sense of their predicament, while trying to maintain their jobs at a small inn, keep things light and engaging. Overall, Yamaguchi is a master at balancing the film’s breezy tone with just enough mystique to keep viewers guessing. River delivers a familiar Groundhog Day vibe, but it infuses its story with Japanese culture, making every second count.
Shiori Kubo as Hisame, looking at a person offscreen, in River (2023) Image via Third Window Films River gives the time loop trope a serious makeover . Typically, you’d watch a character relive the same day or a couple of hours till something gives. However, Yamaguchi narrows it down to a brief two minutes. To top it all off, there isn’t just one character blessed, or cursed, with the knowledge that they’re stuck in a loop — everyone remembers it all. Rather than dragging the characters down, the two-minute loop becomes a source of unpredictable fun that just keeps giving. Even more, this adds oodles of comedy and chaos, as the characters blindly jump onto the Herculean task of trying to figure out how to make the most of their blink-and-you-miss-it time frames.
Making it even more of a standout is how River mashes together the frantic time-loop mechanics with moments of genuine connect…