After Yang

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"After Yang may have some pacing issues, but Kogonada's beautifully thoughtful storytelling and ASKA's unforgettable, tear-inducing score transform this piece into a contemplative, inspirational cinematic experience.

A profound, sincere study of what it means to be a family, what it means to be loved, and how important it is to remember where we come from. A fascinating look into the core of humanity through the heart of a robot - both literally and figuratively.

Exceptional performances, but Colin Farrell stands out with a subtle yet potent performance. Occasionally, it loses itself amid its admittedly gorgeous wide, static shots.

Still memorable, nonetheless."

Rating: B+

So few of these hi-concept lo-budget sci-fi films succeed, it is important for both critics and viewers alike to honor those that pull it off. That said, to argue that the brilliance of the film lies in its ability to leave the viewer with weighty thoughts afterwards is to miss the joy and compassion of the film in real time. Not Marvel. Not even especially commercial. But, for what it is, flawless. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

If it's not your cup of tea, I can understand because the movie is slow despite only being about 1,5 hours, but to immediately give it a rating below 5 is honestly childish.

The story discusses so many important and philosophical questions and it does so in a very organized and beautiful way, with fantastic cinematography and solid acting.

With a complex story where dialogue is fewer than in most films, you need to make sure the viewer can easily understand what you're point is. I think this flaw is the reason that some people dislike it so much that they give a movie such a low score even though it is so well crafted and emotionally touching. This is in part because of Colin Farrell, who gives a bit of a vague and neutral performance, but also it's because of the general style of the film. The shots are slow and often silent or with sparse dialogue. However, the words are so intentional and accompanied by lots of visual info in order to make the message clear. So instead of a matter of "being boring" or "pointless", it might just be a matter of some people missing the point.

On a brighter note: fantastic acting by Justin Min (playing the AI 'sibling/companion' Yang). He perfectly walked the line between acting as though you're essentially a robot yet providing loads of micro-expressions to make you believe he is an AI that would pass the Turing test.

The movie contains a lot of topics: it's about grief, belonging, ethical and moral questions, relational problems, human consciousness vs AI, xenophobia/racism, cultural identity and more.

Therefore alone, this movie is worth the watch, especially for those who like to think about life and the human experience. With this many topics, a movie can easily become overly convoluted or messy, but the aesthetically pleasing shots combined with conscientiously written dialogue and script managed to stay clear.

It truely saddens me how much the point was missed by some reviews of people who obviously disliked the movie. However, I would advise them to watch a different genre. This movie isn't your run of the mill, adrenaline fueled scifi bots-with-guns movie. It's a soft, carefully detailed and slow exploration of touching themes for those who are open to the experience.

Jake (Colin Farrell), his wife Kyra, and their adopted Chinese daughter Mika are a happy family with android Yang. Yang breaks down and Mika becomes depressed.

It's slow and I'm not connecting with Yang. Maybe if the movie opens with a better scene of Yang being a caretaker with Mika. He isn't much more than a robot. I don't feel it. He needs to be a breathing feeling human being. His reveal should be shocking. He can't be a robot while being a robot. This film is all played understated and I'm not connecting with this.

Like with his previous feature, COLUMBUS, Director Kogonada has fashioned an evocative tale about communication. Taking the form of a sci-fi film, AFTER YANG concerns a married couple, Jake (Colin Farrell) and Kyra (Jodi Turner-Smith), who have adopted a Chinese girl Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja). In this unspecified future, a family can employ a surrogate android sibling, here named Yang (Justin Min). Yang acts not only as an older brother, but as a tutor who gives Mika a richer understanding of her Chinese heritage. When Yang malfunctions, the parents scramble to repair him, during which time they are able to 'plug in' to his memory chip.

Kogonada (who also adapted the script from an Alexander Weinstein short story) isn't that interested in the hardware that makes up Yang, but, his inner "thoughts" - his very notion of existence (the science fiction elements are handled quite well). What's fascinating here is that this is truly a two-way interaction - the family is as tied emotionally to Yang as the robot is in its role as an adopted family member. Haley Lu Richardson plays Ada, another character who's questioning her own existential being.

AFTER YANG may seem like heavy going, but, Kogonada and the wonderful cast present the tale in a most simple, unaffected manner. Lessons aren't delivered, but experienced. Some of the most sublime moments are as simple as drinking a glass of water. The viewer takes from the movie what they bring to it. Kogonada leaves it up the audience to decide what Yang's very being represents -- and how humans will accept that autonomy.