This film is beautiful and thought provoking, although it is also a very subtle movie. I must admit, that even though I have studied Asian culture while in college, I have not experienced it first-hand and certain aspects of it still elude me. That is probably the only problem a western viewer MIGHT have with this movie, is missing some of those beautiful and subtle suggestions.
What I took away from this film, is that it is mainly concerned with the relationship between two brother: This is explored through showing us the different ways that they have chosen to live their lives, and demonstrating what sort of person they are by showing their behavior in common situations (at first).
The key turning point of the plot involves one brother being involved in an incident that results in a woman's death, but it is not immediately apparent (to the the audience) if it was an accident or murder. It is possible that the other brother witnessed this event, but even that is not immediately clear. During the rest of the movie, the relationship of these two brothers is examined and explored as we watch them react and interact to the predicaments they find themselves in because of this woman's death.
However, and this is the part that contains spoilers, I was never really sure about what happened to cause the woman to fall off the bridge, or if the younger brother lied at his older brother's trial. Through-out the movie we are shown what appear to be flash backs of this critical event, but they are continually presented as different scenarios. In the initial scene, we can see the younger brother watching the older brother and the woman crossing the bridge from a distance, but before anything happens on said bridge, our view is obscured by trees. We then see younger brother react to something, and then begin to run back to the bridge. Many different "flash backs" of this same moment occur through out the rest of the movie, but as I have said, they are all different. What really happened? I would welcome your thoughts, insights, and opinions.
What I took away from this film, is that it is mainly concerned with the relationship between two brother: This is explored through showing us the different ways that they have chosen to live their lives, and demonstrating what sort of person they are by showing their behavior in common situations (at first).
The key turning point of the plot involves one brother being involved in an incident that results in a woman's death, but it is not immediately apparent (to the the audience) if it was an accident or murder. It is possible that the other brother witnessed this event, but even that is not immediately clear. During the rest of the movie, the relationship of these two brothers is examined and explored as we watch them react and interact to the predicaments they find themselves in because of this woman's death.
However, and this is the part that contains spoilers, I was never really sure about what happened to cause the woman to fall off the bridge, or if the younger brother lied at his older brother's trial. Through-out the movie we are shown what appear to be flash backs of this critical event, but they are continually presented as different scenarios. In the initial scene, we can see the younger brother watching the older brother and the woman crossing the bridge from a distance, but before anything happens on said bridge, our view is obscured by trees. We then see younger brother react to something, and then begin to run back to the bridge. Many different "flash backs" of this same moment occur through out the rest of the movie, but as I have said, they are all different. What really happened? I would welcome your thoughts, insights, and opinions.