The first and last scenes of Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit's Happy Old Year include a shot of an uncluttered, austere room. But there is a difference in how they are both presented: in the first instance, the room functions as an illustrative demonstration of minimalism, as Jean (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) wants to turn her house into an office space. At the end of the film, the same room evokes a different connotation, an empty house in the former, and an emptied room in the latter. Happy Old Year tells us that there is a difference between the two of them, in that one is meaningless, but the other does contain meaning and history.
Director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit has explored the relationship between material objects and intangible memories in his previous works - his debut feature, 36, explored the role photographs have in creating and remembering memories. In Happy Old Year, clutter is not really just clutter, things are tied to memories and experiences, with some things bearing more meaning to others. A single meaningless picture becomes a major focal point in a couple's relationship. A reminder of a painful past to one may mean a desperate chance at reconnection for another.
Thus, to let things go (or in the film's original Thai title, to dump things) takes a bit of callousness. Additionally, in the process of doing so, it brings with it a hefty dose of guilt. Jean realizes this as she gets rid of more and more things. The cleanliness of an emptied room belies how messy and complicated the process of emptying is. And Nawapol does not see this as necessarily a positive thing; Jean also realizes that her actions have made her exactly like the person she hates the most. But that's the price of letting go - that guilt is something people have to carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit has explored the relationship between material objects and intangible memories in his previous works - his debut feature, 36, explored the role photographs have in creating and remembering memories. In Happy Old Year, clutter is not really just clutter, things are tied to memories and experiences, with some things bearing more meaning to others. A single meaningless picture becomes a major focal point in a couple's relationship. A reminder of a painful past to one may mean a desperate chance at reconnection for another.
Thus, to let things go (or in the film's original Thai title, to dump things) takes a bit of callousness. Additionally, in the process of doing so, it brings with it a hefty dose of guilt. Jean realizes this as she gets rid of more and more things. The cleanliness of an emptied room belies how messy and complicated the process of emptying is. And Nawapol does not see this as necessarily a positive thing; Jean also realizes that her actions have made her exactly like the person she hates the most. But that's the price of letting go - that guilt is something people have to carry with them for the rest of their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment