honestly i am not smart enough to understand the Subtext (watching the director interview helped a lot, but rewatch value is high because i think i would understand more after a second try lol), but i was still deeply moved by the film. the scene where the main character calls his older brother on the phone definitely made me cry. that being said, there were surprising moments of levity/hilarity (aka any scene with the welding coworker) that helped make the heavy film very digestible, like a drink of water after talking for a long time. the best part is that these humourous scenes are still character-defining! masterful stuff.

the cast has to be the most important part of a film like this, and these guys are no exception! the family felt very rounded to me, and i discovered why when i watched the director interview. apparently, the three actors stayed in a house together for the duration of filming and had conversations like 'oh here is how we sit at the dinner table' and 'this is what our life was like Before' - setting up a backstory amongst themselves allowed them to interact with each other in a very natural way that helped the audience innately understand Who They Are despite the reserved and introspective nature of both the main character and the film itself.

the lead actor really sells the whole plot, but the actor for the mom was holding it down too. her motives were simple, the decisions borne out of them were straightforward, but that makes it harder to convey on screen - especially with how little screentime she has! i wish we had more scenes from her pov because she definitely knows more than she lets on, and i think the son could benefit from seeing that too. the dad being a blackhole for so much of the movie adds so much tension in a way that impressed me. the way his actor portrayed him (and how the other family members react to him) made him very sympathetic. in so many ways, he is the reason we have a movie, and the viewer can notice and appreciate that.

i would be remiss if i neglected to mention THE LITTLE BOY. so much depth in that stare; he's gonna go places. even for a secondary character, he doesn't talk a lot; but the camera work does the talking for him. i think that is so appropriate considering his story, his role in the film, and what he represents to the main character. (plus, when he stops bowing? MY HEART!) his mom was also very sympathetic and takes up the right amount of space in all of her scenes, which is great considering the way we're introduced to her.

i had a feeling i was going to like this movie, but i definitely didn't expect ENJOYING it as much as i did. hopefully this essay helps explain why in a spoilerless way :)