'Sister-in-law': Hong Dao, Viet Huong, and Le Khanh save the film.

Việt Nam•25/12/2024

"Sister-in-law" is a Vietnamese film featuring a cast of famous actors, led by Hong Dao and Viet Huong. The film chooses a familiar family theme with a simplistic approach to comedic and tragic situations, lacking unexpected elements.

Sister-in-law is one of Vietnamese films The film has been scheduled for release at the end of this year. It's attracting attention because it features a cast of familiar faces such as... Hong Dao, Viet Huong, Dinh Y Nhung, Ngoc Trinh, Le Khanh.

Many viewers are curious about the first time Viet Huong and Hong Dao will collaborate on the big screen. Not to mention, this project also marks the return of Ngoc Trinh after her personal life controversies and legal troubles.

The idea is not new.

The film has a simple concept, revolving around a family memorial service attended by five women. The main character, Kiều Nhị (Việt Hương), is the most powerful woman in the house. On the day of the memorial service, she has to take charge of everything, with the help of her four sisters-in-law.

Viet Huong plays the role of the sister-in-law in the film.

The five characters in the film belong to different generations and social classes, and have different backgrounds and personalities, so conflicts are understandable.

For example, Ms. Ky (Hong Dao), a cosmetic surgeon, is an intelligent and modern woman. However, she also likes to be in control and lives by strict principles. Meanwhile, Ms. Thu (Le Khanh) is humorous and outspoken, but she also harbors many unspoken secrets.

Typically, just three characters are enough to portray a modern-day sister-in-law-brother-in-law relationship. However, the screenwriter made the story more dramatic by adding two more characters: Auntie Ánh (Đinh Y Nhung) and Auntie Như (Ngọc Trinh).

The conflict began when Kiều Nhị, the sister-in-law, decided to hold a lavish memorial service and then wanted to renovate the entire ancestral house, much to the displeasure of her four sisters-in-law. The reunion became an opportunity for the sisters to express their jealousy and scheming, but also to share their unspoken sorrows.

Basically, Sister-in-law The way the problem is framed is not new, it's reminiscent of the past. A glorious dark night (2022). But one film is a memorial service and the other is a funeral.

The script is still there. build Following a familiar pattern in Vietnamese films, the first half takes viewers through lighthearted humorous situations, while the second half incorporates many details to heighten the drama, leading to an emotional ending.

The humor is built upon somewhat awkward situations. For example, guests at the memorial service ask inappropriate questions about the host's profession or their children. The conflicts between the characters at the end are also predictable, leaving the film lacking surprise.

Sitting in the director's chair is Khuong Ngoc. His previously released works include: Love requires strategy. (2016) The Strange Green Forest Story (2017)... were all not highly rated. Even the most recent, Live: Live Stream (2023) was rated as a "disaster" by many viewers.

Therefore, Sister-in-law This is an opportunity for Khuong Ngoc to reaffirm his position, especially with the increasing number of young, talented directors emerging.

With this work, Khuong Ngoc chose a simple, unpretentious approach, reminiscent of Ly Hai's "down-to-earth" filmmaking style with his series. Turn the tables. The visuals and camera angles are understated and not overly flashy, allowing viewers to easily connect with the story. Even the setting primarily focuses on an ancestral home in a poor rural area.

Acting saves the plot.

The "selling point" of Sister-in-law It's a cast of famous actors. Most of them have previously participated in "hundred-billion-dollar" film projects released this year, such as Hong Dao with... Mai , Dinh Y Nhung with Flip Face 7: One Wish or Viet Huong just caused a sensation with Ma da .

All five actresses performed their roles flawlessly, as if they were tailor-made for each character. The director arranged everything logically so that everyone had their own screen time and opportunity to shine in their individual scenes.

But precisely because they fit their characters so well, they failed to surprise the viewers. Viet Huong and Hong Dao handled the scenes with heavy drama and rather intense dialogue. Meanwhile, Le Khanh, the main comedic actress, continued to impress with her lighthearted and charming performance.

Returning to film after Sisters (2023), Ngoc Trinh did not leave much of an impression when playing the role of Ut Nhu. The role was not too difficult and she still acted more instinctively than focusing on technical execution.

Ngoc Trinh doesn't stand out when standing alongside her more experienced colleagues.

Initially, the team Sister-in-law Initially scheduled for release in March 2025, the film was unexpectedly moved up nearly three months. It was released and went head-to-head with a blockbuster. Mufasa: The Lion King - A prequel to the famous animated masterpiece The Lion King Produced by Disney.

Thanks to the cast, Sister-in-law It quickly attracted the audience's attention. From the very first screenings, the film surpassed others. Mufasa: The Lion King to top the revenue rankings of Box Office Vietnam (an independent box office monitoring unit) with over two billion VND.

This is likely to be the highest-grossing film Khương Ngọc has ever directed. However, the chances of it becoming a box office hit are not high, and it's unlikely to reach the "100 billion VND" mark.

Not to mention, next week Kaleidoscope The upcoming film adaptation will have a more or less direct impact on the film's revenue.

Overall, Sister-in-law The film lacks originality in its concept and production style. Its strength lies in the casting, which brings together talented actors, somewhat saving the story.

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