After Yang

Jean-Luc Godard once remarked that a story should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order. Which brings us to After Yang. The story begins in "the middle." Jake is a middle-aged man, stuck. He is lonely and dispirited. His small business is running on fumes. He seems depressed. He is withdrawing, self-isolating from his wife and daughter, both of whom are clearly aware that Jake has checked out emotionally. The family is getting along. They are pleasant with one another. They go through the motions. But the spark is gone. Perceptive viewers will sense trouble ahead. The film is the story of Jake coming back to life -- a story that begins with a shock of recognition, a voyage of discovery, a new perspective that brings with it a stunning acknowledgment of loss, and the beginning of healing. Jake sets out to fix Yang. Yang ends up fixing Jake, and the family. It is subtle, understated and beautifully done. The "beginning" is glimpsed only in flashbacks of memory. The "end" is projected in hints. Most of the narrative is the voyage of discovery, in which Jake for the first time truly sees a life that had been lived right in front of him, unnoticed. This is a character study played out in the shadows of memory. The question, "Do you believe a cup of tea can contain a world" reminded me of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," the classic story by Ambrose Bierce, which explored how much can be contained in a fraction of a second. Come to think of it, that might make a worthy next project for Kogonada, a master of subtlety and indirection. This is a wonderful movie, the best so far of 2022. Kogonada raises more questions than he answers. He leaves mysteries to ponder. He does not insult viewers with simple answers to unanswerable questions. Jake's ceremonial care in making tea is a metaphor for Kogonada's treatment of grief, mystery and wonder: they swirl and fall, slowly and delicately, and the viewer must find his own meaning in the search. This is a contemplative film and will not be to everyone's taste, but let it steep slowly and you will be rewarded.

Brilliant film. Like Kogonada 1.0, Kogonada 2.0 has no villains, no violence, and no dysfunctional, self-destructive behavior to drive an artificially goosed plot; this film is about human universals. It is quiet, gentle, and meditative. The sci-fi flourishes are present in abundance, but this is not a film about gadgets; like the best thoughtful sci-fi, the future is simply present, with a lived-in feel. Kogonada trusts the viewers to fill in the blanks. The open-ended storytelling is something of a Rorschach test: viewers willing to engage and think will enjoy this; viewers needing flying spandex, explosions and simple resolutions tied up with a bow may be overmatched. If you like slow, thoughtful cinema, this is a must-see. You will be left with many unanswered questions that invite further reflection. Whether this is a feature or a bug is up to you. For thoughtful viewers, this is a film that will linger and bear rewatching more than once. There are a lot of differences between After Yang and Columbus, but there is a line in Columbus that captures the underlying unity: "effort plus cost to see what is invisible but always visible." In Columbus, that refers to things that are absent -- both physical and emotional, with the architecture acting as metaphor for Jin and Casey's inner journeys. That which is absent leaves a contour that can be discerned and a gap that an engaged viewer is invited to fill. In After Yang, the gap is created when Yang unexpectedly drops out of a family's life. The gap needs to be filled. It must be seen and felt before it can be filled. That's the story. And the third act twist -- no spoilers -- is simply brilliant, as Jake and Ada come to understand that Yang understood more than they could have imagined about the road upon which they are walking now. Lest I forget: the acting is excellent. Colin Farrell has never been better. The supporting actors are superb, and I was left wanting more from several of them -- but leaving an audience wanting more is a good thing, not a bad thing. This cast should be considered for the ensemble awards come next awards season.