SummaryKit (Henry Golding) returns to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time since he was six years old when his family fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam-American war. There he meets Lee, his estranged second cousin, Linh, a young Vietnamese student, and arranges an online date that turns into something more with Lewis (Parker Sawyers), an A... Read More
Directed By:Hong Khaou
Written By:Hong Khaou
Monsoon
Metascore
Generally Favorable
69
User score
Generally Favorable
7.6
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
86% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
14% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Nov 14, 2020
83
The specificity with which Khaou portrays this beautiful place, evolving beyond its traumatic history but never forgetting it entirely, is what makes Monsoon so piercing.
Nov 11, 2020
80
As he did in Lilting, Khaou in Monsoon finely sketches the complex inner lives and identities of a small group of characters and plugs them into a narrative that unfolds gradually but precisely, so audiences have the time to consider the work's larger thematic concerns.
User score
Generally Favorable
67% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
33% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Jul 31, 2024
10
Классный фильм с отличными актерами, сюжет интересный, советую вам его посмотреть.
Jul 31, 2024
10
Monsoon," released on November 13, 2020, is a poignant and visually stunning film that deeply explores themes of identity and belonging. The movie follows Kit, a Londoner of Vietnamese descent, as he returns to Vietnam to scatter his parents' ashes, sparking a journey of self-discovery and reconnection with his roots. Director Hong Khaou crafts a compelling narrative that balances introspection with the vibrant, contrasting landscapes of Vietnam. The cinematography captures the country's beauty and the emotional undertones of Kit’s journey with great sensitivity. The film's quiet yet powerful storytelling is complemented by strong performances, particularly from Henry Golding, whose portrayal of Kit is both nuanced and evocative. "Monsoon" stands out for its delicate exploration of cultural dislocation and personal transformation, offering audiences a deeply resonant experience. It's a beautifully executed film that speaks to the complexities of heritage and the search for one's place in the world.
Nov 11, 2020
80
Beautifully shot and subtly delivered, Monsoon offers a poignant picture of the emigrant experience as well as Vietnam’s post-war hangover, while cementing Henry Golding’s position as a leading man to watch.
Nov 13, 2020
70
Laden with bittersweet sentiment, the film packs a muted but lasting emotional wallop.
Nov 11, 2020
70
The journey is definitely worth making, as both people and places lead Kit slowly towards some sort of rapprochement with his identity.
Nov 12, 2020
63
A delicate, observant, and rather too quiescent drama of coming home to a strange land, Monsoon is an interesting change of pace for star Henry Golding (“Crazy Rich Asians”) and another musing on diaspora by the Cambodia-born British filmmaker Hong Khaou.
Nov 11, 2020
50
Monsoon, an offbeat story about a man’s cultural dislocation in Vietnam, is more of a slow drip than a torrential downpour. It’s a lovely film that suddenly and magically can wash over you, then lose you in its opacities.
Jun 7, 2024
10
As he did in Lilting, Khaou in Monsoon finely sketches the complex inner lives and identities of a small group of characters and plugs them into a narrative that unfolds gradually but precisely, so audiences have the time to consider the work's larger thematic concerns.
Nov 24, 2020
5
This oh-so-subtle examination of a Vietnamese refugee's return to his homeland after 30 years in London languishes in such painful understatement that it's nearly impossible to decipher what director Hong Khaou was going for. Is it a discourse on the life of a man without a country, culture or legacy? A travelogue on how much modern-day Vietnam has changed since the days of the war? An attempt to reconnect with family on home turf despite, oddly enough, having spent a life with them overseas? An on-again/off-again interracial, international gay love story about a romance that's startlingly open in a country often criticized for its pervasive homophobia? Elements of all of these story threads are included but with seemingly no glue or direction to bind them, resulting in a narrative that's more often confounding than enlightening. Whatever the point was supposed to be here, it's camouflaged under heaps of gorgeous cinematography, long lingering shots of pensive emoting and trivial incidentals that add precious little to the story. What's more, for a film titled "Monsoon," there are no literal or metaphorical deluges that permit the finished product to live up to its namesake.
Production Company:
- BloomerApp Media Production
- BBC Film
- BFI Film Fund
- Moonspun Films
- Sharp House
Release Date:Nov 13, 2020
Duration:1 h 25 m
Awards
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Athens International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
