“Cu Li Never Cries” is the full-length debut by the Vietnamese director, Pham Ngoc Lan. Until this year, this self-taught filmmaker directed mostly shorts, such as “Another City” (2016) and “Blessed Land” (2019), both of which were screened at the Berlin International Film Festival. His newest movie was nominated and awarded at a few film festivals – most notably, it won the GWFF Best First Feature Award at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, and the award for the Best Picture in the International Competition at the 25th Jeonju Film Festival.
The narrative revolves around two plots – Mrs. Nguyen (Minh Chau) just lost her husband, from whom she inherited a pygmy slow loris, while her niece (Ha-Phuong) and her partner (Xuan An Ngo) prepare for marriage. The story is bittersweet, with both comedic and serious moments. Just like in the “Blessed Land”, Pham Ngoc Lan decided to make the concept of time the central theme of the movie, as one of the main characters contemplates the life she had, while the other two are more worried about the future. Many discussions in the film mention the past, whether it is about personal experiences of the characters or the history of Vietnam. The reality presented in the movie equally revolves around the animal, and the working-class citizens, so the use of the phrase “cu li” in the title is not without any significance – it isn’t only a name for the animal, but in Vietnam is also used as an offensive term for a low-paid worker.
Although “Cu Li Never Cries” is in black and white, it was not planned to be that way. The director admitted in an interview: “We had to cut costs, which is why we did it in black-and-white. We actually shot the movie in color, but by converting it to black-and-white I saved a lot of money on production design.” The movie could really gain from being more colorful, especially since many scenes were shot in a natural environment, but despite financial restrictions, it can be considered visually captivating. Apart from that, the cinematography by Vũ Hoàng Triều, Nguyễn Vinh Phúc and Nguyễn Phan Linh Đan is very modest, as the shots are mostly static, with no surreal elements, which definitely helps the viewers to immerse themselves in the story. This realistic feeling is strengthened by the music, which is exclusively diegetic, as well as the simple performances of a mostly inexperienced cast.
Minh Chau very convincingly embodies a widow who hasn’t seen her husband for a long time, and has drifted apart from him. The viewer can easily identify with her struggle with loneliness and day-to-day functioning. Both Ha-Phuong and Xuan An Ngo also deliver fine performances as characters who are not sure if they are ready to start a family, but have no choice because of social expectations. Through them, Pham Ngoc Lan shows two different methods of coping with reality – Van tries to speak with her partner, and fights with her aunt as she is disappointed with the traditional society, while Quang leans more into drinking with his male friends, as he vents about his doubts.
“Cu Li Never Cries” is a little underwhelming, but nevertheless a solid debut. It might be described as poetic and enchanting. Some may find this co-production between Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, France, and Norway similar to the work of Lav Diaz, whose slow and calm pictures are a form of existential reflection. Since the story in “Cu Li Never Cries” is very vague, and the characters do not have clearly defined goals, the reception of the film depends largely on the disposition of the audience, and its willingness to just “feel” the movie.
