Singapore writer-director Yong Mun Chee has created a film that wile it may take some mental adjustments in order to become involved n the strange story, the work is well worth the effort. The cast is uniformly strong except for the fact that in three cases the accents are so thick that they approach not being understood. This is a film that would benefit form subtitles throughout: the script is strong and deserves to be understood.
Very briefly the film's story or series of connected vignettes about four immigrants to Los Angeles) can be summarized as follows: 'Takashi (sensitive Korean American actor Will Yun Lee), a Japanese hit-man who wakes up from a four-year coma, moves to LA to escape mysterious traumatic memories. He strikes an unusual friendship with Blake (Eric Mabius, a strong young actor), the hotel manager of a cheap and sleazy Hollywood hotel, who still mourns the loss of his wife to an affair he ended up regretting. Julio (Mexican actor Fernando Noriega), an illegal immigrant who works washing dishes in an Indian restaurant to provide for his wife and son still in Mexico, befriends Guy (Luke Brandon Field), a young British backpacker who lives off his estranged father's ATM card and sleeps with any girl who crosses his path. The story splices between the blossoming of these two friendships. Takashi attempts to help Blake break from his past, but in the process is forced to confront his own violent memories. Julio and Guy hustle for day to day survival and forge dreams of a better future, but after Julio steals Guy's passport and sells it for a thousand dollars, not only is their friendship at stake but also their lives. What follows are the at times wild and often gut- wrenching adventures of four men trying to survive both emotionally and physically. It slowly becomes obvious that the relationship between Julio and Guy borders on the daring deeds that each is willing to make (with some very sad complications and results) while Blake and Takashi are bonded by past tragedies, yet both want to find something to believe in - a new start. The wrong elements these four men carry end up in the wrong hands and that changes their lives inextricably.
Each of the quartet of men gives a completely credible performance (understanding Noriega's, Takahi's and Field's heavy accents is trying at times): we do identify with their plights and they keep us on their side. The supporting cast is excellent, especially the work of Jesse Garcia, Eric Avari, Laura Ramsey, and Elsa Pataky. WHERE THE ROAD MEETS THE SUN is a bit unpolished - but that gritty feeling of the film adds tot he raw story Yong Mun Chee has created. The title comes form the lyrics of the song by Matthew Perryman Jones and Katie Herzig: 'Angels wings spread over water worn wishes Guarding the dreams and the things left unsaid And when it's done we will walk where the road meets the sun.'
Grady Harp
Very briefly the film's story or series of connected vignettes about four immigrants to Los Angeles) can be summarized as follows: 'Takashi (sensitive Korean American actor Will Yun Lee), a Japanese hit-man who wakes up from a four-year coma, moves to LA to escape mysterious traumatic memories. He strikes an unusual friendship with Blake (Eric Mabius, a strong young actor), the hotel manager of a cheap and sleazy Hollywood hotel, who still mourns the loss of his wife to an affair he ended up regretting. Julio (Mexican actor Fernando Noriega), an illegal immigrant who works washing dishes in an Indian restaurant to provide for his wife and son still in Mexico, befriends Guy (Luke Brandon Field), a young British backpacker who lives off his estranged father's ATM card and sleeps with any girl who crosses his path. The story splices between the blossoming of these two friendships. Takashi attempts to help Blake break from his past, but in the process is forced to confront his own violent memories. Julio and Guy hustle for day to day survival and forge dreams of a better future, but after Julio steals Guy's passport and sells it for a thousand dollars, not only is their friendship at stake but also their lives. What follows are the at times wild and often gut- wrenching adventures of four men trying to survive both emotionally and physically. It slowly becomes obvious that the relationship between Julio and Guy borders on the daring deeds that each is willing to make (with some very sad complications and results) while Blake and Takashi are bonded by past tragedies, yet both want to find something to believe in - a new start. The wrong elements these four men carry end up in the wrong hands and that changes their lives inextricably.
Each of the quartet of men gives a completely credible performance (understanding Noriega's, Takahi's and Field's heavy accents is trying at times): we do identify with their plights and they keep us on their side. The supporting cast is excellent, especially the work of Jesse Garcia, Eric Avari, Laura Ramsey, and Elsa Pataky. WHERE THE ROAD MEETS THE SUN is a bit unpolished - but that gritty feeling of the film adds tot he raw story Yong Mun Chee has created. The title comes form the lyrics of the song by Matthew Perryman Jones and Katie Herzig: 'Angels wings spread over water worn wishes Guarding the dreams and the things left unsaid And when it's done we will walk where the road meets the sun.'
Grady Harp