Review of Cyclo (1995) by Lee Z — 06 Mar 2012

I am rather ashamed to admit that this is my first experience with director Anh Hung Tran, but after seeing 'Cyclo' it definitely won't be my last. An obvious comparison can be maid between De Sica's Bicycle Thief and Tran's Cyclo in that they both are soaked in neorealism but 'Cyclo' also adds an element of surrealism to the mix, creating a deeply affecting, engrossing film.

Taking place in Vietnam, we are shown this dirty, poverty stricken setting through the eyes and actions of several characters, most notably a young boy, who is essentially forced to join a gang after his cyclo is stolen, and his sister, who enters the world of prostitution as a way to get by.

Pretty much every aspect of this film is gorgeous in it's depiction of this lifestyle This film has some of the best use of color that I have ever seen, setting mood and at times portraying emotion in the characters.

I also found Tran's use of the close-up to be remarkable in that he never overuses it but when he does the emphasis is definitely felt. I don't know if it's just me but the film did seem to want to keep the viewer somewhat distanced.

Don't get me wrong, the film is vivid and emotionally engaging but it still feels like Tran wants the viewer to feel the disconnect. A theory I have is that maybe Tran wanted to viewer to feel like they had no control over the happenings of the film and that they are just forced to watch.

Maybe that observation is just me seeing things.. but yea. Usually when watching a film I gravitate emotionally towards one of the characters but in this film I felt very invested in the well being of almost every character.

Tony Leung gives an unforgettable subdued performance as a pimp with a a conscious, to describe it as generically as possible.