A movie on the bus

I watched a Burmese movie on the 4 hours long bus ride. My views and take on the movie.

As a tradition, I was forced to watch a movie on the 4 hours long bus ride. For those who have travelled by bus in Myanmar will totally understand the pain. Anyway, since I will be in Myanmar for foreseeable future, I decided to embrace the tradition. I watched the movie from start to end and decided to write a note for it.

I didn’t remember the movie title. The plot is as following.

Character building

The guy is poor. He works for a very rich family and handles their business. The family has a daughter and she is treated like a princess. The father of the family passed away and suddenly, the guy becomes the main person to run the business. He still keeps the book and give profits to the family. Nobody from the family is willing or smart enough to run the business. Although the guy can run the business, he is very naive and has no girlfriend. So, the family arranged for him to fall in love and marry their daughter. He married the daughter and they are having a very loving and close family time. Usually, Burmese movies will end here.

Main plot

One day, the guy need to travel to another town. He left home in the middle of the night. He got into accident and passed away the night. Then he became a ghost and because of his extreme attachment to his wife, he cannot get to next life. He just stays in the house as a ghost. Nobody except his wife can see him now and then. Everyone thinks she got depression and not thinking straight. The family tried to sell the house and tried to persuade her to leave the house. She cannot let go of her late-husband.

Climax

She visited the place where her late-husband proposed her and she saw her husband and fainted. Her friend told her that he dreamed her late-husband watching monks from far. He explained may be her late-husband wants to say “sardu sardu sardu” and go to next life. Then she dreamed her late-husband that night that he is finding his ash box. She cried and finally realized that she is holding back her late-husband. She left her house in the middle of the night to find the box and she spread the ash to let him go.

Ending

They had a donation by inviting monks to home and said prayers and said “sardu sardu sardu”. Wife cried and ended the movie.

Review

I am so disappointed with the movie. I won’t say I don’t like the movie. I just think that the movie didn’t get to its potential. The message from the directors and script writers is very vague too. I still don’t get the whole point of movie. It is not a scary horror movie. It is not a romantic movie. It is not a family movie. I just don’t know what movie it is. Since the actors and actresses are big names, I don’t think the budget is the problem. I think the problem is the script and the message of the movie.

I personally think this can be 3 big movies.

Usual plot

If the message is to work hard and honest, I will just spend the whole movie to show how the guy manages business, kills competition, gets confidence from the family, and gets the daughter. May be this is one of the most commonly used plots in Myanmar but I don’t think most of them don’t show the business lessons. Most will show jokes, shopping, drinks, etc. So, this can be a business movie and usual love story.

Paranormal activity

If the message is not to have strong attachment, I will just spend the whole movie to show how strong attachment will make you become a ghost after you pass away and cannot go to next life. I will make it super scary horror movie. I will make it a super sad movie in a way that nobody including the wife likes the ghost. At the end, twist the plot so that they all managed to convinced the ghost that he has to leave and end it with a good note.

50 first dates

For the recommendation of third movie. I have to mention a supporting guy in the movie. I didn’t mention him in above plot because he is just not important. He is just a neighbour who likes the daughter. That’s all.

However, we can create a whole movie from him too. The husband passes away. The girl is sad. The neighbour helps her. Fights the society’s pressure for widow together. Understands her and shows her the light that life always moves on and you will find a true love second time. Damn! She must be so lucky. Anyway, this can be a movie too.

Well, may be I am just too critical and should just enjoy the ride.