This is a truly magical and spiritual movie. The main character is literally a magician who shares the same name as the filmmaker, so it's safe to say he's the magician here. There's hardly a simple shot in this film that stays simple for long; just as you settle into a composition and setting, it transforms into something else. You find yourself wondering what else is in store, and it never disappoints-it gets more magical with every second. There are so many long takes that seem absolutely impossible to pull off, and the narrative tools are used masterfully. You might call it poetic realism, magical realism, or even epic banal, but nothing happens randomly in this movie. Everything feels precise while also being spontaneous and surreal.
While many hyped films and well-known filmmakers are racking up awards for cinematography each year, I'd argue that this is the real achievement as a first feature from two Vietnamese collaborators: director Thien An Pham and cinematographer Dinh Duy Hung, who have only made two short films prior to this. The level of craft, skill, talent, and precision in this movie is just unbelievable.
In terms of filmmaking style, you can see influences from renowned directors like Abbas Kiarostami, Michael Haneke, and Carl Theodor Dreyer. These filmmakers often take a minimalistic approach in their storytelling, camera techniques, and overall craft. They also use naturalistic dialogue and long takes with non-professional actors-qualities you can see reflected in this film. And it's not just about visuals and sound design; many dialogues sound simple but are incredibly profound. Often, these dialogues are visually understated yet meaningfully elevated by the environment and surrounding sounds. The filmmaker draws inspiration not only from cinema but also from other art forms like Chinese scroll paintings and photography.
From the very first scene, this movie sets the mood and themes for everything that follows. It explores searching for meaning in life, the impermanence of existence, loss and grief, faith and spirituality, memory and nostalgia, family connections, cultural identity, and ultimately a quest for self or personal identity, a journey of self-discovery.
What's holding me back from giving it a solid 9 or 10 are a few things. If it were an hour shorter, it could easily be one of my favorite movies of the year. The last hour has some scenes that don't really contribute to the plot or character development; they feel like they're just there for the sake of being there. Also, while most dialogues are simple yet beautiful and profound, some come off as too expositional and heavy-handed with the themes. But the biggest reason is that the film feels emotionally distant. While it follows the style of filmmakers like Kiarostami, that doesn't mean it couldn't evolve and deepen its emotional resonance-though it does push their sensibilities forward in other ways.
All that being said, watching this movie was an exceptional experience that reminded me of what cinema can be and do-especially from emerging artists with fresh voices. Do yourself a favor and watch this film; it's a must-see!
