Apart Together

Apart Together, directed by Wang Quan'an and released in 2010, is a touching melodrama that explores the themes of love, separation, and reconciliation in a culturally resonant context. Featuring a delicately crafted narrative, the film stars Lisa Lu, Feng Ling, and Caigen Xu, who deliver captivating performances that chart a course through the human heart's emotional landscape. Its story is both challenged and enriched by the complicated socio-political environment of its setting, inviting viewers to ponder over the profound turns our lives take in response to the relentless tides of conflict, societal pressure, and change.

Set in Shanghai, China, Against Together starts with a cathartic reunion between Liu Yangsheng (Caigen Xu) and Qiao Yu'e (Lisa Lu). They were once young lovers but their dreams of a shared future were shattered by the outbreak of the Civil War in China. Liu was amongst the many who had to flee mainland China for Taiwan during the stormy days of conflict, leaving Qiao behind. Now, after decades, Liu returns from Taiwan to Shanghai with the intention of taking Qiao back with him.

However, the reunion sets in motion an emotional roller-coaster. Age hasn’t withered their affection for each other, and their past love resurfaces as if it had only been dormant, waiting for this moment. Yet, the reality is far more complex. Qiao is now married to another man, Lu Zhenyu (Feng Ling) and they have a family together, including a son who is a military officer. Although Liu’s arrival disrupts their seemingly harmonious life, it also unearths long-buried feelings.

Throughout the film, Lisa Lu gives a celebrated performance as Qiao, manifesting depths of emotion with minimal gestures and nuanced expressions. Her character’s struggle between a past love and present responsibility becomes the film’s powerful undercurrent. Feng Ling, playing the role of Lu, Qiao’s husband, also rises to the occasion, his performance illustrating the composure, forbearance, and acceptance of a man who acknowledges the past love of his wife. Caigen Xu, as Liu, ties this complex emotional trajectory together with his portrayal of a man driven by a single-minded objective, yet willing to tread the thin line between determination and intrusion.

The film maintains a quiet tension throughout, punctuated by gentle humor and poignant moments of reflection. While it masterfully navigates the emotional seascape of these complex relationships, it also delicately captures the essence of an era. The audience can perceive the cultural atmosphere of old Shanghai and Taiwan, offering a nostalgic lens into the China of decades past.

Apart Together is not just an emotional love story; it also offers clever commentary on the societal and political milieu of its time. The director, Wang Quan'an, subtly brings the greater societal context into the film’s narrative – the impact of the civil war; the division of China and Taiwan; the influence of society, culture, and politics on individual lives and choices.

One of the film's major triumphs is its visual storytelling. Cinematic elements such as its cinematography, production design, and costumes draw the viewers into the time and place of the narrative. The city of Shanghai is captured in a manner that highlights its historical cross-cultural allure and modern vibrancy. Similarly, the homes where the characters reside mirror the socio-cultural and economic conditions they navigate.

The storytelling is complemented by an evocative soundtrack, enhancing the movie's emotional resonance and lavish aesthetic appeal. Each musical piece refreshingly punctuates the narrative, working to elevate the film's scenes and character interactions.

Lastly, Apart Together digs deep into the phenomenon of choice and its consequence in human lives. Quan'an guides the audience to empathise with each character’s predicament, creating an engaging narrative that causes one to question: What happens when we are compelled to choose between the past and the present, between duty and love, hope and reality?

Taken as a whole, Apart Together is an elegantly woven tale of love found, lost, and remembered. Its poignant storyline and impressive performances make the film a memorable viewing experience that beckons revisiting time and again as its emotional layers are progressively unveiled.