Throughout the film, when the characters seem to be in conflict or struggling to connect, there is always something that physically separates them: a threshold between two rooms, a small table, a bed, another person, or even their own athletic exploits. Yet in the midst of these moments, there are brilliant examples of those “fifteen seconds” mentioned above, brief exchanges, both figurative and literal, where the protagonists manage to bridge the gap. In these moments, nothing separates them, and the playing field becomes a shared space. The pace quickens, the film takes off, and it becomes impossible for the viewer to look away. Spaces seem to shrink, and the camera lingers on faces and details, as faces touch, hands shake, and cuts follow one another in rapid succession, as fast as a yellow ball on a green field.
