The fact that many countries have, unfortunately, strict policies when it comes to immigration is a sad truth. However, the way a culture deals with people from other countries wanting to live with them, is a totally different matter, with many nations exercising rather rough measures such as arrests or jail time when an undocumented immigrant is caught by the authorities. During the shooting of his first feature “Mysterious Object at Noon” Thai director Apichatpong Weeraseathkul witnessed how his country deals with immigrants, as he saw a young couple, Burmese immigrants, being arrested by the police in broad daylight. The couple was visiting a zoo when the incident occurred and made the director think about happy events and the possibility of those in an overall oppressive environment. Eventually his thoughts became the premise for his next project “Blissfully Yours” which won the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes Film Festival 2002 along with the KNF Award at Rotterdam International Film Festival, to name but a few honors his second project received.
Buy This Title
on Amazon
Similar to his other features, “Blissfully Yours” can be divided into two parts, revolving around the same characters, but taking place in different locations. The first part deals with a Burmese immigrant named Min (Min Oo), his girlfriend Roong (Kanokporn Tongaram) as well as a woman named Orn (Jenjira Jansuda). Because of his health problems, Roong has paid her female friend to take care of her lover, but since he has no official documents, she fails miserably at the doctor's office to get him a work permit. However, she succeeds in receiving some advice for her medication and her wish to have another child, after her first one drowned some years ago.
Eventually, Roong takes Orn's car to drive with her boyfriend into the nearby jungle, a place he promises might take her mind off things, her work and offer some kind of escape from her routine. While the two of them have a romantic picnic, Orn also goes into the jungle, followed by her husband's co-worker, after he refused her wish to have another child. The two have sex in the jungle, as do Roong and Min, and finally all three of them meet up, enjoying the temporary escape nature offers.
Upon first viewing, especially the first part, taking place in the urban environment might be off-putting as it does not feature the obvious beauty and sexuality of the second half. Considering the transition from this environment to the jungle, the long drive the characters make before reaching its outskirts, is also the beginning of the actual movie (emphasized by the opening titles appearing after 45 minutes), you might think both parts have to be seen separately. However, nothing could be further from the truth, as the metaphorical “escape” the jungle offers to the characters is tainted by the realities of their urban lives, the status as an immigrant for Min, or Orn's unfulfilled desire to be a mother as well as her grief for the child she lost. The kind of heightened reality of the movie, emphasized by a change in color and easy-listening music, therefore fittingly occurs when leaving the oppressing reality of urbanity behind, but there is also not doubt about the temporary nature of this escape.
When comparing “Blissfully Yours” to “Mysterious Object at Noon”, there is a similar approach when it comes to the view of society and culture as presented in the narratives, as well as the visuals. Whereas the notion of the collective narrative defined the first feature, Weerasethakul's second one shows the temporary escapes people have built for themselves, as distractions but also as a kind of safe haven. However, as we see, their paradise has already been invaded by their sorrows, and while especially the dream-like quality of the romantic scenes between Min and Roong is quite beautiful to look at, its temporary nature is quite apparent and adds to the aforementioned beauty.
As indicated before, “Blissfully Yours” is a feature which rewards repeated viewing, not only for its themes and the way they are connected but also because of other aspects. Apart from the performances, with especially Jenjira Jansuda leaving quite an impression, there is also the stunning cinematography of Sayombu Mukdeeprom, who manages to capture both the depressing reality of urbanity and the dream-like, lush beauty of nature.
In conclusion, “Blissfully Yours” is a great feature and a significant work in its director's filmography. Apichatpong Weerasethakul manages to create a captivating second film due to its visuals, its cast and its themes, one which rewards repeated viewings and proves his insight into the Thai landscape and culture.
