I REALLY enjoyed this movie, a wonderful character study. If you want action, or dramatic emotional swings...there are plenty of movies for those. This is different. It portrays a slice of real life, that only those who live it can really understand...but this film brings it close to understanding.
An ordinary, poor girl seeking a slightly better existence for the sole purpose of helping her family. It depicts the norm: nothing extraordinarily bad happens, but neither does anything that could be called good. The girl's misfortunes outweigh the positives though, and she is taken advantage of whenever someone can...which is normal, sad to say.
The lead actress herself is very enjoyable to watch, she is so subtle and calm in her portrayal, and with a very interesting face. Notably, the one time she smiled in the film, she was told to stop. Again, realistic, because her circumstances lend nothing to smile about.
The direction and cameras really captured the sense of both rural and poor urban life in Vietnam, with such detail you can feel that you "get it." Having lived in parts of Asia very similar to this, I can attest to the authenticism.
Having just finished watching this film, it ranks high on my list of favorites. If you're looking for flashiness or an emotional roller-coaster, this isn't it. But if you're wanting to really experience a segment of society that actually exists every day for many, many people...with a great performance by a new actress...then give this one a try.
An ordinary, poor girl seeking a slightly better existence for the sole purpose of helping her family. It depicts the norm: nothing extraordinarily bad happens, but neither does anything that could be called good. The girl's misfortunes outweigh the positives though, and she is taken advantage of whenever someone can...which is normal, sad to say.
The lead actress herself is very enjoyable to watch, she is so subtle and calm in her portrayal, and with a very interesting face. Notably, the one time she smiled in the film, she was told to stop. Again, realistic, because her circumstances lend nothing to smile about.
The direction and cameras really captured the sense of both rural and poor urban life in Vietnam, with such detail you can feel that you "get it." Having lived in parts of Asia very similar to this, I can attest to the authenticism.
Having just finished watching this film, it ranks high on my list of favorites. If you're looking for flashiness or an emotional roller-coaster, this isn't it. But if you're wanting to really experience a segment of society that actually exists every day for many, many people...with a great performance by a new actress...then give this one a try.