The film consists of three short films - "Magic (Less Real Than Magic)", "The Open Door" and "Again". The multiplicity and mirroring of female characters has been a theme in Hamaguchi's previous work, and it is also true in his new work, Chance and Imagination. The previous works "Happy Time" and "Day and Night" are literally like novels, while "Accident and Imagination" can be said to be a collection of short stories. This impression is reinforced by the rhythm of the narrative: three episodes, each centered on a female character, divided into three acts. Three short films tell the story of an unexpected love triangle, an attempted seduction and a misunderstanding. Despite the fragmentation, an organic narrative flow is maintained and even emphasized. While most of the action takes place in one space, and with only two actors involved, the movie doesn't feel like a chamber play. It's not just because of the dialogue, but also because of its complex concept of time and space, the last episode almost becomes science fiction. The moments we witness are all linked to a touching universal fate, marked by choices, regrets, deceptions and coincidences, which are the true protagonists of the film.
Among the three short films, the third one is "One More Time", followed by "The Open Door", and the first one is "Magic", which you can watch or not