The director, Anh Hung Tran, does not rush things. I felt like a voyeur much of the time as the characters lived both responsible lives, but had a naughty side that they just could not escape.
Do they just jump into sexual situations or are they restrained by guilt or other voices. This issue of guilt or other voices was a central theme I enjoyed watching develop.
The scenes were visually powerful and sweeps one away from our modern world into the family courtyard where women prepare meals, laugh, relax and live life.
To me, this movie told three stories of women in different stages of life. A young, pampered girl, who lives in a bit of fantasy world and beginning to explore her sexuality - if only with the most available man who is her brother. The male characters were important, but frequently were more trappings to allow us to peek into the world of women. Very well done.
Her older sister, who is married, trying to have a child while worrying about her husband and larger family.
The eldest sister, who has faced much more and looks for life solutions that work. She only wants to keep the family moving along and keep her husband from taking his extramarital affair too seriously. She is the matriarch of this little family now that their parents have passed along and she struggles on different levels. When challenged by the second sister to share her views of having an affair, she is careful to only share enough, but holds back to maintain her role as the elder sister. Very well done.
The best scene in this movie for me was at the end when the three sister are dealing with a real disaster brought by that silly little sister.
I loved this movie and watched it twice. It is one I will return to see again just for the visual beauty of scenes and languid movement of many scenes. It was my first Anh Hung Tran movie and I must find more of his work.
Do they just jump into sexual situations or are they restrained by guilt or other voices. This issue of guilt or other voices was a central theme I enjoyed watching develop.
The scenes were visually powerful and sweeps one away from our modern world into the family courtyard where women prepare meals, laugh, relax and live life.
To me, this movie told three stories of women in different stages of life. A young, pampered girl, who lives in a bit of fantasy world and beginning to explore her sexuality - if only with the most available man who is her brother. The male characters were important, but frequently were more trappings to allow us to peek into the world of women. Very well done.
Her older sister, who is married, trying to have a child while worrying about her husband and larger family.
The eldest sister, who has faced much more and looks for life solutions that work. She only wants to keep the family moving along and keep her husband from taking his extramarital affair too seriously. She is the matriarch of this little family now that their parents have passed along and she struggles on different levels. When challenged by the second sister to share her views of having an affair, she is careful to only share enough, but holds back to maintain her role as the elder sister. Very well done.
The best scene in this movie for me was at the end when the three sister are dealing with a real disaster brought by that silly little sister.
I loved this movie and watched it twice. It is one I will return to see again just for the visual beauty of scenes and languid movement of many scenes. It was my first Anh Hung Tran movie and I must find more of his work.