Tagged: Family
La Mission
Director: Peter Bratt
Country: USA
Release: 2009
Che is a tough guy, ex-con, widower and reformed alcoholic who works and lives in the Mission District of San Francisco. He is also a good friend, good worker, good neighbor, and devoted father to his son and best friend, Jesse. Jesse is an attractive, affable good student, who (unknown to his father) just happens to be secretly gay. When Che finds out the boy’s secret, there is a physical confrontation that spills out into the street with Che disowning his son – and soon the whole neighborhood and all of Jesse’s classmates know his secret. Eventually father and son attempt to work it out, but mostly by avoiding each other and avoiding the subject. Their own version of don’t ask/ don’t tell seems to be working, but just as things start to get back to something that resembles normal, the unavoidable subject comes up and pushes them further apart. Unable or unwilling to try any more, Jesse moves out and father and son remain estranged. Ultimately something has to give as Che’s inability to come to terms with his son’s gayness threatens to destroy everything good in his life. The father is a major low-rider, and there is an affectionate portrayal of low-riders and interesting insights into that culture. A little unrealistic to me, everybody (except Che) in that supposedly macho world seems just a little too accepting and open-minded. In fact everyone is almost unbelievably cool about the issue, except for a few neighborhood thugs – who have had confrontations with Che, and even they seem to want to use the son’s homosexuality more against the father than the gay kid himself. But just maybe the movie is trying to point out that you do not necessarily have to be a macho ass to have problems with your child’s gayness. Maybe Che’s disappointment is also mixed with equal parts of fear for his son’s safety and possible limitations this might have on the son’s bright potential. Of course it does not, and should not, have anything to do with anything about Jesse – except for his private sexual preference. But try telling that to Che, and try telling that to society sometimes. You have to watch the movie to find out if the two ever work through their problems and reconcile. “La Mission” is a film about complicated emotional issues and how two people can find it so damn difficult to do just the one simple thing of loving each other.
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Biutiful
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Country: Mexico
Release: 2010
As portrayed in the movie “Biutiful”, life is anything but. Uxbal, the main character in the film, lives in shabby apartment in Barcelona and is a single father of two who makes his living on the fringes of legality. He got custody of his two young children from his ex-wife due to her struggles with addiction and personality disorders. He works for a pair of shady Chinese Businessmen who smuggle in undocumented Chinese workers – who live communally in a crowded, dingy warehouse and work in a sweatshop or as cheap construction labor – and they employ African illegals to peddle their knockoff goods on the streets. Uxbal also has the “gift” of being able to communicate with the dead, and collects a fee for conveying messages from the recently deceased to their grieving relatives. Near the start of the movie, Uxbal learns that he has advanced prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones and liver and only has a few months to live. Uxbal seems to be a decent person who struggles to keep one step ahead of his circumstances. He is a strict but very loving father who tries to provide direction, discipline and normalcy for his son and daughter. He tells himself that his work helps find jobs for people who would have no other options. He is not ready to die, and the main reason appears to be his concern for his children. His mother died when he was a child and he never knew his father, so he knows the pitfalls of growing up without a family. He has a brother who he cannot depend on and, although he tries to let his wife be a mother to the children, her erratic and sometimes dangerous behavior disqualify her completely as a caretaker. He attempts to amass as much money as possible in his time remaining, to leave as a buffer for his children when he is gone. In the meantime, things with the illegals go from bad to worse and add unwelcome complications, worries and tragedy to his rapidly deteriorating life. “Biutiful” is the most depressing thing I have seen in a long time. Perhaps its saving grace is that it allows the viewer to see that, no matter how bad things might seem in their lives, there are people who have it worse. The absolute best thing in the movie is Javier Bardem’s portrayal of Uxbal. As his character’s world spirals out of control, his performance remains a model of restraint and understatement. Uxbal has nothing to gain by losing control and struggles to do what he can with the time he has left. Badem’s discreet suffering elicits sympathy for his characters efforts to cope with untenable challenges. If you can handle the depressing subject matter, the movie is a powerful and emotional portrait of the heroic struggle of a man to minimize a losing situation in a life gone wrong.
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Valentín
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Country: Argentina
Release: 2003
Valentin is a precocious, cross-eyed 8-year-old boy who dreams of becoming an astronaut and working for NASA one day. The story takes place in the late 1960’s in Buenos Aires, when space exploration was still in it’s heyday and making headlines around the world. His parents are divorced and Valentin lives with his grandmother. He loves his grandmother (who painfully and vocally misses her deceased husband) and they are good company for each other. But Valentin seems to long for a real family of his own. His father (who by his own family’s account, has a history of emotional problems) visits infrequently, devoting most of his time to his job and pursuit of women. His mother he hardly remembers, not having seen her since the divorce when he was three, but secretly confesses to missing her and often waits by the door hoping that she will suddenly visit. Valentin is closest to his uncle Chiche and to Rufo, a musician and neighbor, because both of them talk to him like a friend and an equal and seem interested in his life and what he has to say. Valentin carefully and quietly observes the adults around him, their circumstances and their behavior that appear to complicate their lives. Rather than blame them for their shortcomings, Valentin attempts to manipulate the adults in his life, in his effort to make life better for them and for himself. Sometimes his attempts are successful (he tricks his grandmother into seeing a doctor when he notices she is not well). Other times his efforts fall short, especially when it comes to his father. He encourages his father’s pursuit of women, hoping one day for a new mother and that chance at a family. He is especially encouraging of his fathers latest romantic interest – the very sweet and pretty Leticia, who he adores. But when the relationship fails (as they always seem to due to his fathers unstable emotions), the father blames the break up on Valentin’s interference. But Valentin is the eternal optimist. He does not let the setbacks discourage him from trying to shape the world into a better place for himself and the people he cares about. I found the movie to be a charming and captivating story a lonely young boy, who grows wise before his time by observing the adult world around him, and who accepts the world for what it is, but never loses faith in his ability to make it better. More than just another cute kid movie, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
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Bliss
Director: Abdullah Oguz
Country: Turkey
Release: 2007
Meryem, A teenaged Turkish girl is found outside her village by a shepherd, unconscious and obviously violated. She is carried back to the town and to her family, where she is locked up like a prisoner. She will not speak of what happened and it is presumed she is a whore and has sinned. The Agha, who is the town leader and a relative of the girl, insists on the enforcement of the custom requiring her death to restore the family honor. He assigns his son, Cemal the task of taking her to Istanbul on the pretext of visiting relatives, but to carry out her punishment there. Once in the city, Cemal realizes that he cannot go through with it and spares the girl’s life. Not knowing what to do next, Cemal takes Meryem to an isolated coastal fish farm that belongs to an old army buddy. There they meet Irfan, a rich, erudite ex-professor who has run away from his old life to sail his boat wherever his heart leads him and clear his head. He hires the duo to be his crew, with Meryem to cook and clean and Cermal to help with the boat. Irfan is very kind to Cemal and Meryem and comes to consider and treat them like family. Although the feelings are mutual, there are some rocky moments caused by Cemal’s inability to completely free himself from his old fashioned ways, and to trust Meryem and Irfan. Cemal cannot get over the idea of Meryem as spoiled goods. Irfan kindly confronts Cemal with the theory that his volatile behavior is the result of his unresolved feelings towards the girl. In the meantime, the Agha hires some assassins to track the missing duo, and to finish off the girl and return Cemal for punishment for his betrayal. When confronted by the executioners and in a moment of extreme emotion and panic, Meryem relives the incident of that fateful day and the ugly truth of what really happened to her is revealed. The film is a very emotional and melancholy story about personal fortitude, betrayal, and abuse of power. It also points out the potentially painful struggle of adjusting to the changing balance between the old ways and the new, as the modern life infiltrates into previously isolated areas and older traditions and customs begrudgingly give way to more contemporary ideas. Despite the grim story line, I found “Bliss” a surprisingly engaging and even uplifting film. A good cast is highlighted by an especially touching and effective performance by Özgü Namal as Meryem.
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Together
Director: Chen Kaige
Country: China
Release: 2002
“Together” is the story of single father and humble cook, Cheng and his son Xiaochun, a headstrong, thirteen year-old violin prodigy. They live in a small town in China in which Xiaochun has won every violin competition in the area. They travel to Beijing where Xiaochun has a chance to compete at the prestigious Children’s Palace. Despite his exceptional talent, he only places 5th in the competition because father and son do not have the knowledge or the resources to bribe the judges for a higher ranking. While in the big city the pair meet some unusual characters, including Jiang – a bitter and eccentric instructor at the Children’s Palace who Cheng convinces to privately tutor his son. Young Xiaochun also befriends Lili, an attractive young woman who appears to live off of the resources from the attention of rich, older men, and who hires the young violinist from the neighborhood to play at her party. Xiaochun is obviously enamored with the pretty and vivacious gold-digger and I think that Lili is both a crush and surrogate mother for young Xiaochun. But as their relationship develops she assumes the role of “big sister” for the young prodigy who finds himself entangled in Lili’s romantic high jinx’s. The father dreams of fame and fortune for his talented son and takes a variety of odd jobs to pay for his lessons. But Professor Jiang eventually terminates his instruction of the young violinist, knowing that does not have the connections or the reputation to get him the fame the father wishes for his son. The father is then able to secure an audition for Xiaochun with Professor Yu, a famous and well connected teacher. Yu agrees to take on the young violinist, but requires his student to leave his father and live with the teacher. Achievement will require development of his look, his manners and persona as well as his musical talent. Cheng adores his son and is willing to make any sacrifice for his success, even giving him up. Xiaochun loves music and the violin and ultimately the willful boy himself has to decide if he is willing to make the sacrifices that acclaim demands. The movie is a fairly sentimental story about the relationship of the father and son, but it is also a realistic examination of the price of fame and the requirements of success, of which talent is only one part. Along the way we are treated to a captivating assortment of subplots with the eclectic and offbeat characters they encounter as well as a variety of surprises, revealed secrets and plot twists. I found “Together” a totally engaging story and an affectionate interpretation of the true meaning of family, as well as insightful look at the demanding nature of success.
* 
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Twin Sisters
Country: Netherlands
Release: 2005
* 
Twin sisters Lotte and Anna, from Cologne, are orphaned as young girls in 1925 when their father dies. Disparate branches of the family want to adopt them and fight over custody of the twins. The competing family factions end up taking one each and splitting up the sisters. Lotte is raised in affluence by Jewish relatives in Holland, while Anna ends up with poor and abusive catholic German farmers who appear to view family as free labor. The girls’ attempts to stay in touch over the years are thwarted by their adoptive parents’ deception and manipulation – which parents alternately convince themselves is best for the girls or realize it is for the own best interest. The twins, however, persevere and are finally able to work around their family’s interference, and as young woman they reunite in Germany on the eve of WWII. At first they are overjoyed to be together again, but all too quickly acquired background differences, misunderstandings and the political and religious problems of the world conspire to keep them apart. They go about their separate existences and they spend the rest of their lives at failed attempts in trying to overcome the obstacles that have come between them and prevented a longed-for reconciliation. Near the end of their lives a chance meeting at a Spa gives them one last chance at the reunion that had repeatedly eluded them. The story is sad tale of how we judge and, even sadder, misjudge, each other and how passing emotions can take deep root in our psyche and keep us from the true better nature of our hearts. I feel like the film warns us of the fleeting nature of time and the unpredictability of life. If we are not careful, we run out of chances to reconsider and change or make amends for the decisions we make for reasons which, over time, tend to pale in comparison to consequences we suffer as the result of them
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The Official Story
Director: Luis Puenzo
Country: Argentina
Release: 1985
The Official Story is about a prim high school teacher who dotes on her adopted daughter and lives a very content and comfortable life with her successful businessman husband. We find out that her husband, in contrast to most people around him (including his own family members), actually prospered during the political upheaval of the dirty war in Argentina during the late 1970’s, early 80’s. After some of the controversial events of that period are brought up in class by one of her students, the teacher begins to speculate if her daughter could possibly be the offspring of one of the political prisoners who were ‘disappeared” during the military coupe and the accompanying turmoil that were happening around the time of her birth. The more the teacher considers the possibility, the more obsessed she becomes with the idea and with finding out the truth. At that same time, she is reunited with a dear old friend, who had been persecuted during the dirty war, and who had fled the country and only recently returned to Argentina. As she searches for answers, and her friend reveals to her the vicious experiences that drove her away, the teacher becomes cognizant of the reality and details of what had occurred – details that she was selectively unaware of due to her privileged circumstances. The resulting effect on her is to make her less rigid and more open-minded, with these changes being reflected in her appearance and attitude towards others. However, as she pursues this notion, it starts takes a toll on her contentment, her relationship with her husband and threatens possible repercussions for her future with her child. I see the story and a personal dilemma between the need to know and the cautionary advice of the old adage that ignorance is bliss. The movie was made in the 1980’s, very close to the time of the actual events that inspired the story. It looks like a movie from the 1980’s, but rather than dating the film I think it just helps to give it a feeling of authenticity and a sense of immediacy to the issues it touches upon.
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The Trap
Director: Srdjan Golubovic
Country: Serbia
Release: 2007
The movie takes place in Serbia after all the political, religious and ethnic upheavals of the civil war. Life there for many still seems hard, oppressive and even dreary – these impressions are reinforced by the dark and somber look of the film which was shot on overcast days and in harshly lit interiors. As the movie begins, a lower middle class couple finds out that their only son has a life threatening heart condition. The affliction can be solved by surgery, but the operation is only available out of the country and would not be covered by public health care. Unable to conceive how to amass the money necessary for the operation (even selling their car would not come close), the father swallows his pride and places an ad in the newspaper, beseeching help or assistance from anyone. He soon is approached by a stranger who sets up a meeting with him. The anonymous benefactor promises the father more than enough money for the operation and trip, if he will do something illegal and dangerous for him. The father then struggles with the proposition and the consequences of taking it or not. As a result of his internal conflicts regarding his horrible options, and the worsening condition of his son, the father becomes moody and withdrawn. His seeming indifference or lack of action in regard to the predicament begins to take a toll on his family life, alienating him from his wife and eventually splitting up the family. “The Trap” is a sad tale of desperation and the scary reality of living one paycheck away from possible death and disaster – as too many in the world now do (or fear they do). I think that it is a scenario that many can empathize with, especially in these current economic times. The plausibility of the story is all too possible and frightening to consider. It makes the viewer really think deeply on how they would confront such a decision, where either choice has potential life-changing consequences. The Trap is depressing, but I also found it to be very moving and thought-provoking
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C.R.A.Z.Y.
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Country: Canada
Release: 2005
A complicated and painful tale of growing-up, set in French Canadian Quebec of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Zac is the fourth of five sons, born to a macho father and doting mother. He is notably “sensitive” compared to his brothers and, as a young child, is declared as “gifted” by his mother and a local healer. It is difficult for Zac coming of age in such a manly household, and it is made even more difficult by his father’s ever-vigilant and critical eye, and a mutually tormenting relationship with his older brother (who battles his own demons of anger and addiction). Although attracted to other males, Zac denies his true feelings. Despite his longings, growing up he never really gives into his supressed desires, even though he is constantly accused of doing so. He even takes a girlfriend and tries to live a life more acceptable to others, if not to himself. Zac maintains a close special bond with his mother, but it is his relationship with his father that defines his struggle and influences the course of his development as an individual. Father and son are more alike than they are different, and I think that makes Zac crave his father’s acceptance all the more. Their tempestuous relationship ranges from paternal guidance and favoritism to bitter denouncement and vehement disapproval. In the long run, it seems to me that Zac’s biggest struggle is whether or not, after years of denial, longing for approval, self-inflicted “normalcy” and undertones of self-hatred, if Zac can accept the truth about himself – without which he can never expect others to do the same. The story points out how strong familial influences can be, for better or for worse. It also shows how the gestalt of family, like an individual, can mature and evolve throughout its lifetime, and to do so has to learn to accept and forgive itself. It’s a terrific film – it is an in your face look at the issues of growing up and complicated family relationships that never gets maudlin or overly sentimental about it.
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The Bicycle Thief
Director: Vittorio di Sica
Country: Italy
Release: 1948
Frequently considered one of the best and more influential films of all time, “The Bicycle Thief” takes place in Italy in the first years after WWII when much of Europe was in shambles economically, with rampant poverty, inflation and unemployment. The boon that the US experienced after the war took a while to take hold in Europe. Antonio is a poor man with a wife and two children who has been looking for work for a long time. He gets a chance at a position putting up posters, but has to have a bicycle to get and keep the job. He had pawned his bike, and in order to get it back his wife takes the sheets off their beds (the remnants of her dowry) and hocks them for the money to redeem the bike. The first day on his new job, Antonio is on a ladder hanging a poster when someone steals his bicycle from under him. He pursues the man, but his efforts are too late and the thief and bike disappear into the busy city. He sets out the next day, with his young son at his side, and searches furiously for the thief and/or his property, knowing that his rare and new found employment depends on it. Bikes are resold in the markets but just as often they are stripped and sold for parts, and Antonio knows the odds may be against him but he perseveres. As the search draws on and hope is fading, out of desperation, he feels trapped into taking risks and Antonio makes some choices that ultimately produce no benefit and which he immediately and will eternally regret. Antonio is willing and happy to work, but poverty and misfortune – both out of his control – have left him unable to provide for his family. His job means more to Antonio than just food on the table and we are reminded that things like pride, self worth, honor, respect, justice and moral judgment are luxuries unaffordable to a poor man. He is doomed to a life with an empty belly and an empty heart. The film is a classic example of the Italian realism style during the 40’s and 50’s. It was shot is black and white, on the streets instead of in a studio, with decidedly unglamorous, average looking actors. It has the feel of immediacy and of real life serendipitously caught on film. The realism is further emphasized in the stories told about the struggles of average people, without lucky coincidences, few resolutions, and where wrongs are not always made right and there are few happy endings. Though it may seem dated to some or historical to others, the film still has an emotional basis that is timeless and universal, made more affecting by the realistic style.
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Abel
Director: Diego Luna
Country: Mexico, USA
Release: 2011
A young Mexican boy (Abel) is released from the hospital after being treated for two years for psychological disorders. He had suffered a breakdown and retreated into silence. He returns home to live with his mother and two siblings (older sister and younger brother), all of whom have been abandoned by the father, who left to find work in America. In the father’s absence, the family he left behind has had to incrementally sell their possessions to get by. When Abel first returns home, he is detached and unresponsive with a tendency to self destruction. His behavior gradually turns around, but when he opens up at last it becomes apparent that he has psychologically assumed the role of the husband and father who has been absent for these years. The mother, it seems, decides that the positive improvements in his attitude and behavior are worth overlooking the delusion. However, when the real father returns for a surprise visit, it threatens the new balance in the family. At first the father pretends to be the mother’s brother, so as not to make waves. However, he increasingly grows weary of the ruse and – in what appears to be an attempt to re-establish his patriarchal authority – questions the wisdom of that course of action. Soon the situation divides the family on how best to move forward with the delusional situation, and leads to serious complications, confrontations and concerns for Abel’s long term prognosis. This is an odd but interesting story. There is some very offbeat humor among the dark moments and a satirical look at the macho family hierarchical system. Even though it may be too uneventful and introspective from some peoples taste, I think they will find the unique story somewhat interesting and be totally charmed by the engrossing performance of young Christopher Ruiz-Esparza as the title character.
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Nowhere in Africa
Director: Caroline Link
Country: Germany
Release: 2003
An affluent German Jewish lawyer, his wife and their young daughter emigrate from Germany in 1938 to avoid the imminent horror of Nazism that they see coming. They must forfeit their former lives and take work on a farm in Kenya. The wife has a hard time giving up her lifestyle of ease and prosperity, and adjusting to a harsh, strenuous and strange new one. The husband suffers his wife’s resentment and the bonds of their relationship are strained by their new circumstances. The young daughter finds their new home to be a land of wonder and beauty and not only adapts but thrives in her new and exotic world. When German Jews are eventually allowed, the father joins the British army to fight against the Germans, hoping it will give him a sense of purpose. His wife, in the meantime, has not only learned to accept but to embrace the differences of her new life, and turns down the chance to move to Nairobi in her husband’s absence. She chooses to stay in the country and run the farm. An initial warm reunion between the couple after the war is soon threatened by conflicts between them over the family’s future. The father is offered a judgeship in Germany and the chance to return to his chosen profession, his homeland and to help rebuild the German justice system. With no relatives remaining, and deep mistrust of the German people, the wife wants to remain in her now beloved Africa. The daughter takes it all in stride, perhaps because she has the least to lose. Africa has become such a part of her heart, her mind and the way she views life and exists in this world that whatever happens, it will always be a part of her no matter where she goes. The movie is not about Nazi’s, the Holocaust or WWII – those are just extreme factors that cause upheaval and force changes in the characters lives. I think the real story is how such changes (and often just time itself) will effect alterations in people’s personal growth and perspective. In order for relationships to survive these influences requires effort and compromise. Home is where the heart is, but as this story points out, the heart is subject to many complex and paradoxical emotions that can be affirming at times, but just as often appear as challenges to our happiness. It also points out how peoples reactions to the same circumstances can vary so greatly and that changes which appear to be adverse at first can be, given time, seen as a positive force in out lives.
* 
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The Sicilian Girl
Director: Marco Amenta
Country: Italy
Release: 2009
This film is based on a true story from the 1980’s, of a Rita Mancuso, a strong–willed girl, raised in a village in Sicily by a doting father and unaffectionate mother. Her father is a prominent, respected man in the village and well connected with the local mafia. After both her beloved father, and later her brother, are senselessly (in her eyes) murdered by mafia cohorts with whom they disagree, she decides to go against everything she knows and believes in and break the code of silence to testify against those responsible for her family’s deaths. As a result, she is reviled by her mother and her village and hunted by those she seeks to punish for her betrayal. In order to exact her revenge, she must seek the help of a prosecutor who she initially sees as a natural enemy of her family’s way of life and holds in contempt. In witness protection in safe houses in Rome, she reluctantly and slowly develops a qualified respect and bond with the prosecutor she is collaborating with, as they build a case against the mob. In the meantime, the long and powerful reach of the mafia do everything to prevent her testimony and to exact revenge for her betrayal. Despite strong precautions, the Mafia is surprisingly effective in their attempts to intimidate Rita, the prosecutor, the police and even the justice system itself. A frightening and cautionary tale of the impotence of governmental authority against the ubiquitous power of organized crime – but you cannot argue with the premise since the facts in the movie is based on the real life story of Rita. An absorbing, true story of crime, revenge and defiance.
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Sweet Land
Director: Ali Selem
Country: USA
Release: 2005
“Sweet Land” is a tender and affectionate portrait of one immigrant couple in early 1900’s America. Olaf is a Norwegian who has been in the country for some time, and has homesteaded a farm in Minnesota. Shortly after WWI, he is joined by Inga who has come to be his wife, although they have never met and she does not speak English. Immediately they go to the preacher to be married. However, it comes to light that although she came here from Norway, Inga is actually an orphan of German nationality, and the preacher refuses to marry them unless she can obtain the proper papers. The county clerk similarly refuses to issue her papers. They base their refusals on the fact that Inga’s undocumented status does not allow them to verify her background or character – but the real reason is that America just finished a war against Germany and, frankly, she just is not one of “them”. At first Inga is sent to live with Olaf’s best friend and his wife. But with 9 children plus them in the house, privacy and sanity is at a minimum, and Inga quickly insinuates herself into Olaf’s house, forcing him to sleep in the barn. Despite a rocky start based on their awkward unfamiliarity with each other and differences in dispositions (she is too fun-loving and he is too serious), they spend the year in close companionship, striving hard together towards the common goals of working the land, keeping their farm afloat and gaining acceptance among their community. As they face the challenges of their life together (fairly ordinary and uneventful challenges for those times) a real bond and genuine love and affection grows between them. The movie is mostly set in the time of their first year together, but also jumps to the 1960’s at the time of Olaf’s death and interment, and then to 2004 at the time of Inga’s passing, when their grandson Lars is faced with the responsibility of deciding the disposition of the family farm. Viewers who like a lot of action in a movie may find this too slow. I think it would be a great story for young children who grew up in an internet, computer, cable TV, cell phone, ipod, ipad world – to see and know that less than 100 years ago, many people in this country worked so hard to farm the land by hand, without even a tractor to assist them; and did so happily and determinedly without complaint or reservation. “Sweet Land” is also a fine example of the kind of quiet, lyrical and unassuming movie option that independent filmmakers can provide as an interesting alternative to mainstream Hollywood offerings.
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Departures
Director: Yôjirô Takita
Country: Japan
Release: 2008
The story is about Daigo, a cellist who loses his job in a Tokyo symphony that goes out of business. With his career hopes dashed, he and his wife return to his home town to live in the house he inherited from his mother. Unable to pursue a musical career anymore, Daigo searches for a new job and he reluctantly ends up finding work in an odd profession – preparing corpses for their final showing and funeral, or “assisting departures”. He is hired on the spot by his new boss based solely the man’s instincts about Daigo, and it becomes apparent, much to his dismay, that he is being groomed to eventually take over and carry on the business. Although the job is basically that of an undertaker, the work involves a very circumspect and ritualized process performed in front of the family and the film portrays this ceremony in a loving, respectful and even admirable light. However, despite the fact that everyone eventually uses their services, the profession is viewed as undignified by some of Daigo’s friends and neighbors. His new profession begins to cause a riff between Daigo, who is developing a growing regard for the work, and his wife, who worries about the others’ disapproval. “Departures” is a very subtle movie with some family interaction issues and psychological subtext. But, to me, it is mostly an honest and affectionate portrayal of the occupation that even includes some surprising, well-intentioned humor (when he first sees the listing for the job, Daigo imagines that “departures” hints at a career in the travel field). I found “Departures” to be a tender, unassuming and beautifully made, intimate film about how you never know where life is going to take you, and the potential for personal nobility in even the most seemingly mundane or undignified of circumstances. I really liked this film a lot. It may be too “quiet” for some people’s taste, but I found it to be a quiet masterpiece and immensely entertaining and rewarding – one of my favorites in a long time.
a 
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The Return
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Country: Russia
Release: 2003
A laconic, minimally portrayed story of two young Russian boys, who grew up fatherless, and who have different and mixed reactions to the sudden return of their father after twelve years away. Andrei, the older son, is at first overjoyed at the fathers return, while the younger Ivan, whose only memory of a father is an old photo, is immediately wary of the man he views as a stranger, stubbornly withholding respect and affection. The father is harsh and brutal with his sons, which at first divides the brothers against each other in their reaction, but eventually unites them together against him. He takes the boys on a two day fishing trip which turns into a week long trek to some mysterious, remote island location where the emotions come to a head with unexpected consequences. The father appears to be cruel and unlovable, but maybe this is too easy a conclusion. Maybe it is because he is just as inexperienced and inept at being a father as the boys are at being sons, and perhaps his treatment of the boys is some misguided attempt at tough love. There are also many unanswered questions in the story, especially of why the father has taken them to this remote locale in the first place. I felt that there are implications of nefarious goings on, but maybe I am being deceived by the story into thinking that. If you are looking for narrative resolution, this movie does not provide that. On the other hand it does leave a lot of room for interpretation and speculation, and provides the viewer with plenty of food for thought.
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Kolya
Director: Jan Sverak
Country: Czech Republic
Release: 1996
At the start of the movie we are introduced to the character of Louka, a cellist who used be an accomplished performer with the Czech Philharmonic and now makes a meager living playing for funerals in Prague. A womanizer, a bit of an opportunist, and confirmed bachelor, Louka – due to unexpected circumstances – reluctantly develops a relationship with Kolya, a young Russian child, and becomes the boy’s main caretaker. It is set in the time of Russian occupied Czechoslovakia, and financially, existence for most people is a struggle and life in general appears to be somewhat oppressive and dreary. There are obvious indications of a strong undercurrent of a patriotic resentment by the Czech people against their occupiers who they seem to blame for the current woes in their country. Those nationalist considerations, plus the difficulties of the language barrier between the two, and Louka’s singular lifestyle, make the relationship between musician and child seem unlikely and doomed to failure. However, as the bond between them develops, the boy brings out strong paternal feelings in the musician that surprise everyone who know him, especially the musician himself. It is a very matter of fact and surprisingly unsentimental treatment of a somewhat complicated and potentially emotionally charged story. The narrative tells a bittersweet tale with some unexpected but very pragmatic twists, and is both touching and enjoyable. Overall I found the move to be a life-affirming story that engages the viewer without becoming too sappy or melodramatic in the telling.
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The Grocer’s Son
Director: Eric Guirado
Country: France
Release: 2007
Antoine sees his family, after a 10 year absence, when he checks on his father in the hospital where he is recovering from a heart attack. He has been estranged from his family due to strained relationships, most especially with his harsh and unforgiving father. His mother and brother ask him to help with the family grocery store in Provence during the father’s hospitalization. His mother offers to pay him for his service, and Antoine agrees if she will front him the money. He then gives the money to his friend and neighbor in the city, Claire, who at 26, is trying to get into college in Spain and improve her life. Claire, grateful to Antoine, accompanies him to the country for a change of scenery and to keep him company, while she prepares for her college entrance tests. Antoine’s mother runs the main store in the village, and he drives a grocery truck (or mobile grocery) around the surrounding countryside, servicing their rural clientele, which consists mainly of elderly folks who immediately find the young man brusque and uncaring. Antoine is obviously sweet on Claire and enjoys her company while she tries to teach him people skills to help him deal with his customers. Claire does not enjoy being around the tensions among the family members. When the father is unexpectedly released from the hospital and returns home, the tension becomes markedly worse. Claire returns to the city, but Antoine must stay the summer to pay off his debt. Unexpectedly, during the rest of the summer, Antoine discovers that he is not only getting good at his job, but he is beginning to enjoy it. Simultaneously he develops a symbiotic respect and rapport with his customers and even becomes a friend, companion or confident to some of his more eccentric clients. Despite these developments, when his debt is paid, Antoine plans to return to life in the city. This is another film about the pull of family relationships and their ability to go so wrong. Even people from happy families can, I think, identify with the emotions behind such conflicts. But the story does not overplay it, nor is Antoine’s emerging affinity to his elderly clients (perhaps a substitute for his lack of closeness with his own parents) sappy or sentimental. It just seems to happen naturally and is an engaging subtext to the main narrative. Throughout the process we are treated to the beautiful scenery of the Provencal countryside, and a touching, often understated family drama.
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The Wedding Banquet
Director: Ang Lee
Country: USA
Release: 1993
A kind of comedy of errors with some serious issues regarding family, tolerance, and cultural traditions. The story is about Simon and Wai-Tung, an upper class gay couple living in NYC. Wai-Tung’s parents, who reside in Taiwan, are anxious to marry off their son and are constantly trying to arrange dates for him with appropriate Chinese women. The two lovers devise a plan in which Wai-Tung will marry Wei Wei – a tenant living in one of their properties, who is a Chinese artist struggling to make it in NYC and in need a green card. She would get her green card and he, hopefully, will get his parents off his back. It all seems like a win/ win situation until Wai-Tung’s parents arrive in New York to surprise their son and soon to be daughter-in-law for their wedding, and make plans to arrange a lavish, traditional Chinese wedding banquet for them. Now the plan gets complicated and the faux couple pose as tenants of Simon’s, wherein they all live together in Simon’s Manhattan townhouse. With parents in tow and all 5 of them now staying under the same roof, the days become an endless, complicated charade of role-playing. The day finally arrives, the couple gets married, and the whole affair culminates in the wedding banquet which turns into a drunken, party-hearty, all night good-time and free for all. Finally it is all behind them and life can soon return to normal, but before the parents can leave, something happens which delays their departure. Forced to carry on the pretense, patience starts to wear thin and confusion, misunderstandings, hurt feelings and botched deceptions ensue. Eventually the parents leave, but not before a series of confrontations, revelations, surprise alliances and unexpected developments. Several of the characters surprise you – some for the better and some for the worse. Overall it is a fun and good-natured look at family relationships and conditional, and unconditional, love. If there is one, I think that the moral of the story is that the truth, no matter how difficult or painful it may be, is always the easiest and best option in the long run.
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The Imposter
Director: Bart Layton
Country: UK
Release: 2012
A provocative documentary about a bizarre true story. 13 year-old Nicholas Barclay disappeared in San Antonio Texas in 1994, and then miraculously is discovered alive 3 years and 4 months later in faraway Spain. However there are immediate, obvious reasons to suspect the voracity of this young man claiming to be Nicholas: he does not physically resemble the boy who went missing, has no memories of his former life and his tale of abduction, rape and torture is vague and unbelievable. Despite all this, the family believes him, and his story, and bring him back home to reclaim his life. But the authorities are not so easily convinced and soon we discover it’s not Nicholas (this is not a spoiler because the viewer has known this fact since near the very beginning of the film). The movie is really about Nicholas’ imposter, Federic Bourdin, a then 23 year-old Frenchman and serial offender with a long history of impersonations in Europe, and how he went about his impersonation of the missing 16 year-old boy. The documentary also focuses on the question of why the family, who knew Nicholas the best, were the ones most willing to overlook the glaring discrepancies and embrace this imposter as their missing son, and subsequently the question of what then, really did happen to Nicholas. The story is told through a series of interviews with the real people involved (including Bourdin and Nicholas’ family members), interspersed with recreations of past events using actors. These staged scenes may confuse some or make it seem like a hybrid documentary, but I think that these past recreation sequences add a cinematic quality to the story that is missing in some documentaries and help compel the narrative of events. The interviews are done mostly in close-up which gives you an intimate connection with the people and their stories. Bourdin himself (who was 37 years-old at the time of filming) is so adept in front of the camera that I did not realize at first that he was not an actor – you can see how he has the natural guile to deceive. The result is a compelling, true story enhanced by the film’s presentation. It seems almost like a slick Hollywood crime-thriller, and if you like a good, well-told mystery, I think you would like this documentary. This film is one case in which I would rate it higher than the rating garnered from Netflix.
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