‘Rewrite’ Movie Review: Our Fantasia 2025 Top Pick

‘Rewrite’ is an intricately built, time leap paradox about the sublime lie of romance. Is there truly a special someone out there or just special circumstances that could have happened with anyone in their place? We’ll never know.

This Rewrite Movie Review contains spoilers. The film was screened at Fantasia 2025.

Elaiza Ikeda as Miyuki Ishida and Kei Adachi as Yasuhiko Sonoda. Rewrite (2025) movie still courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival

Rewrite creates havoc on the concept of finding ‘The One’ in love, it’s an outright direct refusal of it. We start Rewrite through the lens of high school girl Miyuki Ishida (actress Elaiza Ikeda) discovering new transfer student Yasuhiko Sonoda (actor Kei Adachi) is a time leaper from the future.

Kei Adachi as Yasuhiko Sonoda. Rewrite (2025) movie still courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival

Yasuhiko has the ability to wipe out her memory (Men in Black style) but chooses not to asking her to keep it secret instead. The pair seemingly embark on a summer of a romance inspired by a novel Yasuhiko had once read.

Elaiza Ikeda as Miyuki Ishida and Kei Adachi as Yasuhiko Sonoda. Rewrite (2025) movie still courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival

But it’s all a facade, a dystopian numbers game. Yasuhiko desperately wants to go back to his time but can’t until he finds the classmate that writes the book he read in the future. So in actuality he dates them all in a constantly rewinding endless summer.

‘The One’ Concept, 10 years later

Yasuhiko rewards each romantic interest with a time leap pill allowing them to see 10 years into the future for mere seconds. Miyuki sees her future self telling her she wrote the book, so when she goes back to her time moments later she decides to write it. But so do her other classmates who believe they are ‘The One’ that can bring Yasuhiko back to their arms.

Lives are ruined, one student, a class clown sees his own funeral after taking the time leap pill and dives into madness. All the girls of the town become writers, driven by Yasuhiko’s selfish act, almost all believing they are the one that will pen Yasuhiko’s book. One student even goes the distance and steals her classmates’ promise, writing, and future away from her.

Rule Breakers Always Win

Much like in real life, the rule breaker classmate is the winner. Ultimately marrying Yasuhiko while the rest go home empty handed after discovering the truth at their class reunion.

Forever pining to be ‘The One’ when they were just a name on a list of ‘most likely to write the book’ to check off. Their lives emptied of the promise of their true ‘love’ despite some being married with families already. Even years down the line, they were willing to throw it all away for that one summer romance.

Rewrite Movie Review Score

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rewrite examines the idea that even our sacred held ‘love’ is just down to probability. That’s why this sci-fi that dances between light-hearted to moon light dusk is our pick for the top film to screen at Fantasia 2025.

Rewrite (2025) movie Poster courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival

More Fantasia 2025 Film Reviews:

Be sure to read:

– Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards Movie Review – Fantasia 2025

– ChaO (2025) Anime Movie Review | Fantasia Festival

– The Last Woman on Earth (2025) Movie Review | Fantasia Fest

– 5 Movies to look forward to at Fantasia Film Festival 2025

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