Taking place in Vietnam during 1951 and 1961, Hung tells the simple story of a servant girl named Mui who works for a particularly tumultuous family. The family’s father spends his time and money in brothels while its grandmother has refused to leave her room for years and the young children are brats, busy either tormenting Mui or the local wildlife. This first part the film focuses on Mui’s discovery of her own identity and world that surrounds her. When the family can no longer afford to keep her, she begins working for a pianist she met while younger and their relationship gradually shifts to one of romance.
But the film’s story takes a backseat to its minutiae of observation. The specificity of The Scent of Green Papaya is what sets it apart, moments that add little or nothing to the plot but as they accumulate give the feature a unique feel. It’s a sensuous film, delighting in the textures and colors of the world it’s created, one which feels true without the verisimilitude with any actual place. This works because the film doesn’t attempt to recreate the world of mid-century Vietnam but instead shows us a dreamlike version of what it could be like, an enhanced reality that’s enthralling to watch.
via: Paste
Norwegian Wood- Tran Anh Hung
