Fantasia 2010: WRITTEN BY Review

[With Wai Ka-fai's joyfully WTF film Written By screening at Fantasia today, here is Ben's NYAFF review bumped up for your reading pleasure]

By reading the plot synopsis on the fest's website, one would assume Written By is entering some surreal Kaufman-esque territory; a girl who has lost her father in a car accident begins to write a novel in which he survives and she dies, and he in turn writes a novel etc. etc Yet what we get is a meta-physical family melodrama with multiple novels within novels, ghosts, reincarnations, spirit planes, doorways into parallel universes... and... and... It sounds complex but it isn't, it is just confusing.

In the Q&A afterwards even Wai admitted he didn't know exactly what was going on at times in the film, saying he spent a year editing, cycling through nearly dozens of versions till he felt this one was the best. Everything becomes so scattered but without a base of ideas to rein it in (even in a controlled chaos sorta way) that the film becomes something of a delightful mess. Narration from the "main reality" daughter doesn't help much, and sometimes accents the obvious emotional state.

A lot of effort from the actors - especially Lau Chin-wang as the dad and Mia Yam as the daughter, who are both blind throughout - and the exuberant imagination of Wai is on show here but bumped up by the melodramatic and slapstick tones it all plays out in a rather goofy way, which sometimes works and at other times detracts, especially when the score intrudes; scaring, almost mocking, the fragile relationships this family is desperately holding onto through multiple story threads, universes and dimensions.

The production of the film is immaculate with clean, theatrical lighting and bright colors, swooping, dramatic crane shots and some out there effects work. It is all from competent craftsmen and technicians if not a bit too streamlined (sound design is a standout). You see it doesn't hold any real depth, just a shallow surface push, going hand in hand with the melodrama, punching up the obvious notes when the camera zooms in and the score swells trying to accent but ultimately undermining the natural gravitas that someone like Lau brings.

<b>Written By</b> is clearly a commercial HK production and since it isn't an action, crime or historical epic, a kind of film we don't see too often in the west. And it isn't a down right bad film, just one that never manages to say much because it is so busy juggling a tornado of ideas and feelings.

Some moments from the Q&A:

Led by born showman and festival director Grady Hendrix, the audience welcomed Wai Ka-fai onto the stage with rousing applause. Even if one didn't like the film too much, you couldn't help but be caught up in welcoming this HK giant to New York, this his first visit.

Yes, the rumors were true; half the time the crew had no idea what they were filming. Wai also kept the actors in the dark, only giving them a little tidbit each day: "Today you are cooking, so you put all that focus, any sadness, or anger, into cooking."

There were also rumors that Lau Ching-wan was going to retire because of working on this film. Wai said Lau was under extreme emotional stress through out filming, they were putting so much into this production. To this day he thinks Wai really wants to kill his family.

Wai didn't want to do a happy "Hollywood" ending. It had to be more like real life and sometimes that isn't always happy.