Review of After Yang (2022) by Grumpy52 — 06 Mar 2022

Brilliant film. Like Kogonada 1.0, Kogonada 2.0 has no villains, no violence, and no dysfunctional, self-destructive behavior to drive an artificially goosed plot; this film is about human universals. It is quiet, gentle, and meditative. The sci-fi flourishes are present in abundance, but this is not a film about gadgets; like the best thoughtful sci-fi, the future is simply present, with a lived-in feel. Kogonada trusts the viewers to fill in the blanks. The open-ended storytelling is something of a Rorschach test: viewers willing to engage and think will enjoy this; viewers needing flying spandex, explosions and simple resolutions tied up with a bow may be overmatched. If you like slow, thoughtful cinema, this is a must-see. You will be left with many unanswered questions that invite further reflection. Whether this is a feature or a bug is up to you. For thoughtful viewers, this is a film that will linger and bear rewatching more than once. There are a lot of differences between After Yang and Columbus, but there is a line in Columbus that captures the underlying unity: "effort plus cost to see what is invisible but always visible." In Columbus, that refers to things that are absent -- both physical and emotional, with the architecture acting as metaphor for Jin and Casey's inner journeys. That which is absent leaves a contour that can be discerned and a gap that an engaged viewer is invited to fill. In After Yang, the gap is created when Yang unexpectedly drops out of a family's life. The gap needs to be filled. It must be seen and felt before it can be filled. That's the story. And the third act twist -- no spoilers -- is simply brilliant, as Jake and Ada come to understand that Yang understood more than they could have imagined about the road upon which they are walking now.

Lest I forget: the acting is excellent. Colin Farrell has never been better. The supporting actors are superb, and I was left wanting more from several of them -- but leaving an audience wanting more is a good thing, not a bad thing. This cast should be considered for the ensemble awards come next awards season.