Song lang

"Song Lang" stands as a shining example amidst the often tumultuous landscape of Vietnamese cinema. It distinguishes itself with a compelling storyline that gracefully navigates character development, a rarity in a country where such nuance is often overlooked. In stark contrast to the discomfort one might find in many Vietnamese films, "Song Lang" manages to evoke a sense of ease and authenticity that is a breath of fresh air.

The film's careful inclusion of traditional Vietnamese performances and folksongs is a testament to the filmmakers' dedication to preserving cultural heritage. These elements are not mere adornments but are seamlessly woven into the narrative, contributing to the film's beauty and emotional resonance.

In a cinematic landscape that sometimes leans towards the formulaic and superficial, "Song Lang" stands out as a true gem. It defies the trend of mediocrity that plagues the Vietnamese movie industry, offering a rare and invaluable experience for those who appreciate well-crafted storytelling and the rich tapestry of Vietnamese culture. This film is a testament to the potential for excellence in Vietnamese cinema when passion, talent, and a commitment to cultural authenticity converge.

I give a lot of harsh critism toward Vietnamese movies since the day I decided to watch more movie produce from my country in order to find the same on the edge of the seat feeling that I got from other film industry in the West and the East until Furie ( 2019) and just now Song Lang (2018) make my heart burst into tears for how much well shot, well directed, well acting and most importanly how much emotionally invested I am with the characters. I don't normally seek out movies that touch on the LGBT subject because it's not my cup of tea when I'm more of a a action, horror person myself but in the case with Song Lang it not only a beautifully make movie with great cinematography and nailed the retro scenery of Vietnam down to a T but it also a heartfell drama story about two guy each from opposite site settle down their differences and learn how to love themselves more. It such a damn shame that right now only Vietnamese people can see this movie because there no overseas release for Song Lang at all and I would love to see it got the attention it deserves in the future

Song Lang (2018) is a Vietnamese film co-written and directed by Leon Le.

The premise of this film is that an emotional connection is possible between two men of very different outward temperaments.

Isaac plays Linh Phung, a performer in Vietnamese traditional opera. Lien Binh Phat portrays Dung "Thunderbolt," an enforcer for a vicious lone shark.

Thunderbolt goes about his job with impassive, brutal efficiency. He says that when people borrow money, they have to pay it back. If they can't, or won't, he sees to it that they do.

The two men meet when Dung Thunderbolt is about to burn the costumes when he's unable to collect a debt at Linh Fung's opera. Linh offers him enough to keep the match unlit, although Dung won't accept it.

The two men are attracted to each other. No one ever mentions the word "gay." It's probably not acceptable in Vietnam, where all culture is controlled by the state. My sense is that Cai-Luong opera male stars are thought to be gay, even though they portray excessively masculine characters onstage.

Their relationship changes their lives, in unusual and surprising ways. The plot of the film is complex and subtle, and keeps you thinking about it after the movie is over.

A real bonus is the scenes from the opera performances themselves. The opera music sounds strange to our western ears, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it as a true art form.

Both men are fine actors. However, for me, the best acting was done by Phuong Minh as Auntie Nga, the loan shark. I can't remember someone portraying a person with no soul so well. When tragedy strikes, her comment is, "No one is forced to borrow from me." She clearly has no guilt at all about her actions.

We saw this movie at the Little Theatre, as part of Rochester's wonderful ImageOut Film Festival. The opera scenes probably work better on the large screen, but the film is worth seeing on a small screen if that's your only option.

This movie has an extremely high IMDb rating of 8.0, with over 200 raters. That's amazingly high for a foreign film about gay men. I consider this a must-see film if you're interested in the music or in a relationship that grows between two very different men. I highly recommend it.

I'm from Vietnam, so i can clearly understand what happend in the film, i can said that the director doing such a great job in filming this film, it beautiful, but on the other side the scrip is so boring and lack of emotion. I can't event call this is a gay film cause the relationship between two main character is more like friends. This film is about our traditional called "cai luong" but actually i don't like it in this film cause it so long...

This is the Vietnamese excellent movie, mentioned about the traditional performance (cai luong) and the moment of boys love