THREE SEASONS

Three Seasons, the debut film by brothers Tony and Timothy Linh Bui, was apparently the first American-produced film allowed to be filmed in Vietnam. Even with government officials stalking the production, the Brothers Bui still managed to make a beautiful, yet somewhat critical film of modern Vietnam.

The film is made of of several stories, most of which overlap slightly, but maintain distinct separateness. One follows a street urchin, a boy who sells trinkets like watches and gum out of a small case. In an encounter with an American, an ex-GI played by Harvey Keitel, his case disappears and he is left to fend for himself in the tough streets. Keitel's character is in Vietnam to close wounds of his own. He fathered a child by a Vietnamese woman during the war, and has come back to find his adult offspring and hopefully make amends. In yet another story, a young woman working the water lily fields befriends her isolated boss, a disfigured teacher and poet.

My favorite storyline involved a cyclo (Don Duong) who falls for a beautiful prostitute (Zoe Bui) whom he pedals around the city between her tricks. Don Duong had such a gentle, touching demeanor, that he was just a pleasure to watch on screen. It turns out that he is a big matinee idol in Vietnam, which didn't really surprise me (I know how to pick 'em!). The scenes where he slowly cracks the icy demeanor of the hardened woman are moving and sweet.

Three Seasons lumbers along at a slow and deliberate pace, but it is always interesting to watch. Certain scenes, like Keitel's slow recognition across the room of the woman he has been searching for, will stay in my mind more than the overall film itself. In a way, Three Seasons works better as a collection of short stories more than a cohesive film, but it is still worth seeking out.