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Song Lang
Vietnam 2018
produced by Veronica Ngo (= Ngo Thanh Van), Irene Trinh, Pham Thanh Hai (executive), Nguyen Nu Nhu Khue (executive), Nguyen Thu Thuy (executive), Vo Thi Hong Van (executive), Pham Phuong Dung (executive), Amy Tran Nitao (executive)
directed by Leon Le
starring Isaac, Lien Binh Phat, Minh Phuong, Tu Quyen, Huynh Ngoc Lan, Le Thi, Thach Kim Long, Cat Vy, Bao Xuyen, Nguyen Bao Chau, Nguyen Thi Kieu Trinh (as Kieu Trinh), Huu Quoc, Thanh Tu, Phuoc Tinh, Ron Vuong, Xuan Truong, Kim Phuong, Doan Minh Tuan, Hoang Sang, Hong Sap, Kim Chi
written by Leon Le, Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc, music by Ton That An
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Saigon, the 1980s: Dung (Lien Binh Phat) is a debt collector for crime
queen bee Auntie Nga (Minh Phuong), and he's one of the toughest in the
business and mighty proud of it. Phung (Isaac) is a performer with a
Vietnamese opera troupe who has only recently been promoted to leading man
status - for his youthful good looks mostly as his peers tell him his
singing and acting lack real emotion one can only achieve from experiences
he just hadn't yet had. Their passes cross when Dung comes to collect
money from the theatre Phung is about to have his premiere at, and when
the owner can't pay, he threatens to burn the costumes and can only just
be talked out of it. However, something about the theatre clicks with Dung
as his father has been an opera performer himself, and the same night he
comes back just to watch the premiere - and when he then meets Phung
backstage, the meeting is nothing short of awkward. However, Phung pays
his debt to Auntie Nga the next day, and his and Dung's paths cross again
later when he's beaten into unconsciousness by a gang of thugs before Dung
can interfere and repay the thugs in kind, then drag Phung back to his
place to wait for him to come to again. And when Phung does, the situation
quickly gets awkward again, until Dung can convince him he means no harm.
And since Phung seems to have lost his keys in the schuffle earlier, Dung
even offers him a place to crash. And over the night, the men grow closer
and closer to one another, also when Phung learns more and more about
Dung's caring side. And Phung also leaves his mark on Dung, to an extent
that he wants to give up his debt collector. It really seems that this
might develop into more than a friendship even - but sometimes, fate deals
a cruel hand ...
A very nice melodrama that blends elements of gangster
thriller, social drama, character study, love story, journey to self
discovery and Vietnamese opera, and the outcome is something very unique,
a compelling film that wears its heart on its sleeve but always manages to
avoid the trappings of pure kitsch by always putting storytelling above
grand but empty emotions, while packing everything into a cinematically
accomplished whole that hits all the right notes, making this a joy to
watch.
... and if this has at all gotten you interesting, you can
catch the movie at Laemmle Virtual Cinema until November 12th 2020: https://www.laemmle.com/film/song-lang
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