Lilting

Grief is a feeling that no one should have to encounter at any point in their life. It's a feeling that makes one think that they'll never be able to carry on. But once they accept what has happened, the dark cloud looming above them slowly begins to fade away.

Hong Khaou's Lilting is one of the latest films to focus on the subject of grief. Following the untimely death of Kai (Andrew Leung), his mother Junn (Cheng Pei-pei) and boyfriend Richard (Ben Whishaw) try to come to terms with their loss. Despite a language barrier, Richard tries to make peace with Junn. But will he succeed?

Lilting is different from other films about grief. It doesn't linger on the feeling of despair that often comes with grief. The film instead revolves around carrying on with the passage of time. To anyone who's lost someone dear to them, it's not as easy a task as previously assumed.

Similar to A Single Man, Lilting is a film of sumptuous yet subtle details. Whether it's the set design or Urszula Pontikos' cinematography, it's a film of simple riches. Sometimes the smallest details leave the biggest impact.

Lilting is a quiet and deeply intimate film, something not frequently seen in modern films. It's emotional without being heavy-handed, sentimental without being melodramatic. In short, it's a very beautiful film.

My Rating: *****