Movie Review: Mindfulness and Murder (2011)

Rating: (4 stars out of 5)
Cast: Vithaya Pansringarm, Apichart Chusakul, Prinya Intachai
Director/Writer: Tom Waller
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 30min
Premiere Date: 6 April 2011
Country: Thailand
Price: FREE
Screening Location: River City Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

River City Bangkok Feature
This movie is the third in a series of 4 internationally acclaimed movies shown at River City Bangkok. Like Under Construction Movie, it was attended by ambassadors from different embassies and movie buffs alike. The main actor and director, Vithaya Pansringarm and Tom Waller respectively, graced the event and even held a Q&A after the movie. This was followed by cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, lots of small talk where everyone felt the ease to talk to the VIPs and celebrities.

Movie Setting
This movie could have been a play. The entire movie setting was practically inside a Theravada Buddhist temple in Thailand. A homeless young man was murdered within the grounds of a Buddhist monastery and the killer could be a monk. The main protagonist is Fr. Ananda - a mild mannered monk who used to be a detective in the police force. He was assigned by the temple abbot to investigate and find out who dunnit!

Politically Incorrect
To show a movie about drug dealing monks, homosexuality and murder in a Buddhist temple is taboo in Thailand. It took guts and conviction for the director to make this movie. It likewise showed the reality of monastic life without any glammed-up pretention. It was honest and unapologetic.

Fr. Ananda
The movie was centered on the efforts of Fr. Ananda and the zen-like approach he had in conducting his investigation. His placid acting brought realism to the film. I would pretty much say he carried the film together with some interesting characters who equally brought life to the film - the head abbot who was so natural in his acting, you would think he really was an abbot. The chain-smoking police investigator brought persuasive acting as well.

The Ending
The only thing I thought was misplaced in the film was the way everything seem to have unraveled too quickly when Fr. Ananda confronted the killer. The killer simply confessed to everything and that pretty ended up the movie. In modern day film making, usually, a brilliant twist is put in play to cleverly outsmart the killer to make him cough up a confession. This would have added a wind on the film for increased tightness. But that didn't happen - thus only 4 stars.

Socials
During the socials, I had the chance to have a short talk with Tatiana-Maria Comerzan whom I've met during the Under Construction movie last week. I also talked to Edith, who was connected to the Philippine embassy. I met an industry insider and a make-up artist. I would have wanted to talk to a Bhutan delegate who seemed magnetic and of course lovely, but she was busy with everyone. Likewise, I would have wanted to catch a word with the film director and the actor, but there was a long line.

Ending Thoughts
Even though it was a critically acclaimed movie, it never made money. I think the Thai movie going public is much like the Filipinos - they love entertainment, comedy, slapstick and showbiz. Serious but sensible films don't generally make it in the box office. At times the movie has to garner awards from overseas to be noticed and patronized in the country of origin.

Fr. Ananda was so compelling in the movie with his zen-like demeanor and placid movement that it kinda ruined it for me to meet the real actor who seemed anything but the Fr. Ananda role that he played. The actor was an amicable guy but not the Fr. Ananda character that I have already associated him with. Well, that's just me and my bias.

The next movie features Vilma Santos of the Philippines! I would really like to watch that film but as of this writing, I am already in Yangon.

--- TheLoneRider
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

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