I'll admit it took me a while to find myself emotionally connected to this story of a man trying to fix his daughter's robot companion (I know, an oversimplification) but the story slowly crept up on me until I was immersed and it had a hold on me. Film maker Kogonada has crafted a visually stunning film that explores the discovery of common humanity and when it hits it hits hard.
After Yang is a quiet little film. People generally talk in hushed tones and the mood remains rather subdued. The sole exception is the lively young Tjandrawidjaja who breaks the solace with her energy. But otherwise there is a palpable ennui that builds into a true sense of tragedy that is, well, beautiful and cathartic. Stunning really.
Kononada uses little moments, from the lives of our subjects to the recordings of the central AI that are played an replayed so we can experience them again, reflect on them. He asks us to contemplate some big questions and lets us sit with those struggles a little. But he also holds our hands a bit as we wonder, allowing us some comfort in the journey.
Composer Aska Matsumiya's score is as lovely and gorgeous as the film she is illustrating. I was haunted, and again comforted, by the music playing throughout. The tune kept sitting with me after I left the cinema, playing in my head as a refrain.
After Yang is a lovely moment of cinema. It doesn't tidy up its mess, instead just letting us experience it and do with it as we will. You will need to sit with it all for a while and revisit.
After Yang
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Justin H. Min, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, Haley Lu Richardson, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarita Choudhury
Writer/Director: Kogonada
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