Set in Bangkok circa 1997, this moody drama about two brothers trying to cope with their father’s suicide subtly queries the impact of macroeconomics on personal lives.
Elder brother Mutt (soulful Ananda Everingham), who’s been living in New York as a currency trader, shoulders guilt for his own small contribution to his country’s – and consequently his father’s – meltdown, and tries to recover some lost innocence by reconnecting with his ex-girlfriend Sai (Janesuda Parnto), who also has money troubles.
Meanwhile, teen brother Nic (Prawith Hansten) has his vision too clouded by romantic delusions, symbolised by pastiche karaoke videos, to see that the pretty neighbour girl (Apinya Sakuljaroensuk) he’s crushing on is gearing up for a career in prostitution.
The women are generally more interesting and complex than the men, which makes one wish the emphasis had been switched, but generally debut director Lee Chatametikool (who has been top Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s editor for years) demonstrates empathy and ambition. His style is much more narratively straightforward than Apichatpong’s, and none the worse for that.
