3.5 Stars for the whole film. 5 stars for the 10 year old Mui sequence. After the film switches to 10 years later the original tone and feel of the film is lost.
Still holds up as one of my favourites. It’s also one of the greatest and few films from Vietnam. Quiet, idyllic, and as evocative to the senses as anything I’ve ever seen. It’s rare to see a simple film about love and innocence set during pre-war Saigon when Hollywood has churned out titles such as Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket.
An unusual and evocative tale of love in prewar Vietnam, punctuated by lush cinematography & sound design. It's a strangely intoxicating work, often wordless, characterized by an oddly entrancing score. The sound of unseen jets suggest encroaching war on a society on the brink of destruction. Tran Anh Hung's debut feature is a strange beauty of a film. As delicate and mysterious as the smoke of incense.