A Plucky Orphan Playing Cupid
If “Owl and the Sparrow” were any slighter, it wouldn’t exist. Stephane Gauger’s debut feature is a charming little movie, nothing more, but he brings a tonic freshness to his simple, even simple-minded tale of a plucky orphan, Thuy (Pham Thi Han), playing cupid in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon.
Mr. Gauger was fortunate to discover his unassuming lead; young Ms. Pham brings a humble, winning charisma to the role of a provincial girl who ditches her hardships to eke out a living selling postcards and flowers in the big city. But it’s the filmmaker’s infectious love for the metropolis — bustling and bright, whimsical and idealized — that gives “Owl and the Sparrow” its mellow vibrancy.
The story finds Thuy befriending a kindly flight attendant (Cat Ly) and a melancholy zookeeper (Le The Lu) — did I mention whimsy? — and trying to set them up. This cutesy premise is staged on the fly, guerrilla-indie style, with lots of background street energy jostling into the drama.
Mr. Gauger, who also served as cinematographer, keeps his camera close to the actors, a strategy that minimizes pedestrian gawking at the camera while also enabling an intimacy of look and gesture well handled by his cast.
“Owl and the Sparrow” is rated PG (Parental guidance suggested) for the mildest of adult themes.
OWL AND THE SPARROW
Opens on Friday in Manhattan.
Written and directed by Stephane Gauger; director of photography, Mr. Gauger; edited by Ricardo Javier and Ham Tran; music by Pete Nguyen; produced by Mr. Gauger, Nguyen Van Quan and Doan Nhat Nam; released by Wave Releasing. At the Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village. In Vietnamese, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes.
WITH: Cat Ly (Lan), Le The Lu (Hai), Pham Thi Han (Thuy), Nguyen Hau (Uncle Minh), Trong Hai (the Captain) and Nguyen Kim Phuong (Phuong).
The New York Times
If “Owl and the Sparrow” were any slighter, it wouldn’t exist. Stephane Gauger’s debut feature is a charming little movie, nothing more, but he brings a tonic freshness to his simple, even simple-minded tale of a plucky orphan, Thuy (Pham Thi Han), playing cupid in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon.
Mr. Gauger was fortunate to discover his unassuming lead; young Ms. Pham brings a humble, winning charisma to the role of a provincial girl who ditches her hardships to eke out a living selling postcards and flowers in the big city. But it’s the filmmaker’s infectious love for the metropolis — bustling and bright, whimsical and idealized — that gives “Owl and the Sparrow” its mellow vibrancy.
The story finds Thuy befriending a kindly flight attendant (Cat Ly) and a melancholy zookeeper (Le The Lu) — did I mention whimsy? — and trying to set them up. This cutesy premise is staged on the fly, guerrilla-indie style, with lots of background street energy jostling into the drama.
Mr. Gauger, who also served as cinematographer, keeps his camera close to the actors, a strategy that minimizes pedestrian gawking at the camera while also enabling an intimacy of look and gesture well handled by his cast.
“Owl and the Sparrow” is rated PG (Parental guidance suggested) for the mildest of adult themes.
OWL AND THE SPARROW
Opens on Friday in Manhattan.
Written and directed by Stephane Gauger; director of photography, Mr. Gauger; edited by Ricardo Javier and Ham Tran; music by Pete Nguyen; produced by Mr. Gauger, Nguyen Van Quan and Doan Nhat Nam; released by Wave Releasing. At the Cinema Village, 22 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village. In Vietnamese, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes.
WITH: Cat Ly (Lan), Le The Lu (Hai), Pham Thi Han (Thuy), Nguyen Hau (Uncle Minh), Trong Hai (the Captain) and Nguyen Kim Phuong (Phuong).
The New York Times
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