Happy Old Year

From Thailand comes a heartrending drama that distills the poignant complexities of the human heart into an elegantly simple tale. Happy Old Year, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit and starring the award-winning Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, is a compelling and relatable movie that leaves its audience in introspection about their own lives, and perhaps their own heartaches.

At the heart of the story is the young and intensely focused Je (played by Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying), a professional home organizer who had been living abroad and has just returned to Thailand. Je advocates for minimalism and decluttering, a lifestyle choice that is at odds with Thai society's emphasis on retaining and cherishing items that may have sentimental value, irrespective of their actual usefulness. Drawing parallels with the internationally acclaimed Marie Kondo, Je runs a service that helps people clean and organize their homes, all while urging them to discard items that no longer "spark joy."

As we follow Je's journey back to home, we see her tackling the mammoth task of decluttering her family's old house before it gets converted into a 'chic café'. This escapade leads her, not only through her old possessions but also into the recesses of her own past. The plot thickens when she encounters items that belong to her ex-boyfriend, Jay (played by Sunny Suwanmethanont). Some things are harder to discard than others – a fact that Je learns as she grapples with her feelings and memories belonging to the bygone times with Jay.

In contrast to Je's laser-focused approach to life, we meet her brother, a sentimental musician played deftly by Apasiri Nitibhon. His character and approach to life bring a much-needed levity and warmth balancing out Je's cold and calculative demeanor.

The progress of cleaning her house subsequently becomes a symbolic story of Je's journey towards reconciliation with her past. The film beautifully uses the act of decluttering as a metaphor for emotional catharsis and self-excavation. Slowly but surely, Je is pushed to confront the realities of her past and how it has shaped her present.

Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying’s performance is simply compelling. The young actress, known for her award-winning debut performance in "Bad Genius," portrays Je’s idiosyncrasies with nuanced intensity. Chutimon masterly brings out Je's cold, pragmatic, yet struggling persona, thereby evoking, surprisingly, both aversion and sympathy from the audience for her character.

Sunny Suwanmethanont, as Je's former lover, delivers a convincing performance well worthy of his reputation as one of Thailand’s leading romantic comedy actors. Both his charm and sensitivity shine through his character Jay, who remains tethered to Je’s life through shared history and sentimental belongings.

Director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, known for his innovative approaches to storytelling, has crafted an intricate plot woven delicately around the mundane act of cleaning a house. He excels at effortlessly paving the pathway to his characters' internal universe, revealing layer by layer their motivations, their vulnerabilities, and their emotional landscapes.

Happy Old Year is a journey of a woman finally willing to confront her past and find some semblance of peace within her complexities. It not only nudges us to question our own attachments to belongings from the past but also effectively portrays the difficulties of bidding adieu - be it to objects or emotions. The haunting cinematography and artful set design further contribute to telling this compelling story.

In some ways, this movie asks the question of 'What is truly important to hold onto when everything is said and done?’ Each character's approach to this question is distinctly unique, a testament to the film's exploration of themes such as forgiveness, release, and acceptance.

Overall, Happy Old Year is a film for those who appreciate complex characters, realistic narratives, and metaphorical storytelling adorned by peculiar Thai cultural nuances. It's a movie that is both a quietly moving drama and a thoughtful reflector shining a light on the intricate corridors of human sentimentality. Bound to leave you with a lingering afterthought, it is a cinematic journey that's definitely worth embarking on.