January 21, 2021
Director: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit
Writer: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit
Jean (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) wanted to convert their old family house into a modern office with a minimalist design. However, their house needed serious radical decluttering to clear out all the stuff gathered all the years. At first, it was easy for Jean to just throw anything away, much to the annoyance of her mother (Apasiri Chantrasmi). However, Jean soon found it difficult to get rid of items associated with ex-boyfriend Aim (Sunny Suwanmethanont) or her estranged father.
This was a film that anybody who was ever involved in a process of decluttering their office or house would easily identify with. Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo became a household name when her book and resultant TV series inspired people to discard old items which do not bring them any joy anymore. Admittedly, no matter how easy Kondo made it look, it was never easy to simply throw old stuff away as sentiments would get in the way.
At a languid 2 hours long running time, the drama felt a little too stretched out for such a simple premise. There were no clear answers to the question on selfishness that the film constantly brought up. Who was being selfish -- the one who wants to get rid of the item? or the one who did not want to get rid of the item? There are usually two or more people involved for every item. Even if you think it was insignificant, that may not be the case for the other person. This was certainly thought-provoking stuff. 7/10.
Director: Mong-Hong Chung
Writers: Chang Yaosheng, Chung Mong-Hong
Driving instructor Chen Wen (Chen Yi-wen) and his wife make-up artist Qin (Samantha Ko) had two sons. Their older son A-Hao (Greg Hsu) was the good kid, handsome, kind and smart. The younger son A-Ho (Wu Chien-ho) was the troublemaker, in juvenile detention for being involved in a crime, and an unwed father. A sudden and totally unexpected tragedy threw their lives into a major crisis, causing them to genuinely connect with each other.
All the actors did their job so fluidly as an ensemble which was sort of ironic because they are playing a family with estranged emotions. Chen, Ko and Wu were mostly underplaying their respective parts, but they were all so strong in the deceptive simplicity their portrayal. Liu Kuan-ting, the actor playing A-Ho's violent friend Radish, had a screen presence that dripped with imminent dread, totally gripping the second half of the film in fearful tension.
This family melodrama will hit close to home with many Chinese (or maybe any Asian) family. Parents (especially the father) and children are not particularly expressive with their emotions, preferring to drown themselves in their work than bond. This would go on until a major event will shake everyone's sensibilities to its core. The plotting and the dialogues were done with so much emotionally resonance, tears will be inevitable right down to its final revelations. 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment