People usually complain that anthology films lack coherence and consistency. To me it's one of the big perks, but for those people Women Play Twice might be the perfect compromise. Even though there are 6 different shorts, they are all directed by the same director and shot in a very consistent style. Each short handles a different type of woman as seen by one of the passing customers of a small bar. The result is a cozy little romantic drama that uses the variation of the different stories to stay clear from boredom setting in.

I usually write a mini-review for each separate short, that would be pretty impractical though as I would be repeating myself over and over again. There is not much difference in style and execution between the different shorts, keeping the quality of the film very consistent all the way through. Each short has a small climax near the end, but there isn't one short that really stands out or falls short compared to the other ones.

The subject for this film is also quite clear and defined. Each short zooms in on one particular woman who represents a certain type of female. Yukisada does handle his subject with a certain level of frivolity and it never becomes a real statement or life lesson trying to capture the whole female universe in one simple film. The film loses a little depth there, on the other hand I'm sure Yukisada would've lost himself if he tried to accomplish such a thing in the first place.

Visually Women Play Twice is a pretty nice-looking film. Nothing out of the ordinary, but each short features a few beautiful shots and compositions. The camera work is overall solid and controlled, not overly slick but subtle and refined. Yukisada remains quite close to the typical style of Japanese dramas, taking only some risks in the third short (I'm talking about a rather strange scene in a bath house), so if that's your thing you'll find plenty to enjoy here. 
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