Song Lang is writer-director Leon Le’s groundbreaking romantic tragedy. Set in 1990s Vietnam, Dung (Lien Binh Phat) is an effectively brutal collector for a loan shark, Sent to collect from an on-the-skids traditional opera company, Dung is about to trash the company’s wardrobe, when he encounters the opera’s charismatic lead singer Phung (Isaac). Dung has a female bed buddy, but Phung triggers some strong feelings in Dung. The evolving relationship between the two soars – until the consequences of Dung’s business catch up.
Song Lang is a great-looking movie. The color palette reflects the tropical vibrancy of Vietnam, and the sets and the costumes of the cải lương opera are breathtaking.
Song Lang is also a love letter to cải lương itself; the art form is depicted beautifully and affectionately. And the story reveals that Dung himself has his own connection to cải lương.
Both leads are very good. This is the first screen credit for Lien Binh Phat, who won an acting award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
American audiences will expect more physical expressions of passion than are portrayed in this film romance. This is a Vietnamese film.
On the other hand, there is one distracting moment for Vietnamese-American – when there’s a quick hug of grandma – no one hugs their grandma in Vietnam.
But, as is common in Vietnamese cinema, this is a tearjerker. It’s too easy to call this just “the Vietnamese Brokeback Mountain“. It’s an especially beautiful film with two original characters.
I also recommend this LA Times article on Leon Le and how he came to make Song Lang.
Frameline hosts the North American premiere of Song Lang. This is the directorial debut for Leon Le and is one of several first features in the Frameline program.