The Scent of Green Papaya is a strange, moody movie. Visually it is stunning. Every frame mesmerizes with it's beauty. There are long periods of silence, minimalist dialogue, or extended periods at a time with stirring music or sounds of nature.
This is a coming-of-age tale about a young girl named Mui who goes to work for a wealthy family as a servant in pre-war 1951 Saigon Vietnam. What made the movie compelling is seeing the world through the quiet perspective of Mui: her connection to nature, details she took in about people, and her ability to be gently present in her life as she watches the disfunctional family go through change and loss, while serving them steadfastly. I was surprised and delighted by the last few minutes of the film.
The movie was like a slow and prolonged meditative visual poem, georgeous and also unsettling.
This is a coming-of-age tale about a young girl named Mui who goes to work for a wealthy family as a servant in pre-war 1951 Saigon Vietnam. What made the movie compelling is seeing the world through the quiet perspective of Mui: her connection to nature, details she took in about people, and her ability to be gently present in her life as she watches the disfunctional family go through change and loss, while serving them steadfastly. I was surprised and delighted by the last few minutes of the film.
The movie was like a slow and prolonged meditative visual poem, georgeous and also unsettling.