Sharing the loneliness of the elderly, is 'Grandma's Property' the Thai version of 'Flip Side 7'?

"Grandma's Legacy" is the most anticipated film by Vietnamese audiences this weekend, earning 17 billion VND on Sunday, June 6th - Photo: GDH

Following Doraemon, another foreign film has topped the Vietnamese box office after "Face Off 7" . It's "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies," a Thai film with a theme similar to Vietnam's "Face Off 7" : the story of grandchildren caring for their elderly grandparents.

It's no coincidence that two of the biggest box office hits in Thailand and Vietnam in the first half of 2024 were family-themed films sharing a similar theme.

This theme can be considered "national," evoking empathy from every family.

Taking care of elderly parents is a matter for every family.

The TV series "Grandma's Inheritance" and "Flip Face 7" share a similar premise. An elderly mother, who has lived comfortably alone for a long time, is suddenly involved in an accident or falls seriously ill and needs her children and grandchildren to care for her. This opens up the entire story: who will provide care, and who will share the responsibility?

Trailer for the movie "Grandma's Legacy"

Both films feature scenes where the children argue about who will take care of their mother.

In "Face Off 7 ," because each child lives in a different place, they discuss who should go live with their mother or bring her to their home. In "Grandma's Legacy," since they all live in the same city, they discuss who should quit their job to take their mother for regular chemotherapy treatments.

Both films feature scenes of a mother feeling melancholic as she reflects on lonely days, eating alone after the Lunar New Year holiday, when her children have left home.

Both films feature a scene where the mother goes to a nursing home because she doesn't want to burden her children with caring for her when she's ill.

In both films, the children share similar circumstances. The eldest son is well-off but busy and often grumpy. The second daughter is a single mother struggling with a difficult life. The youngest son faces financial hardship...

Every movie has scenes where children argue about who takes care of their mother, or where the children have similar personalities - Photo: GDH

All the children are busy making a living, so for various reasons, they cannot be close to their mother to take care of her or spend as much time with her as the elderly woman would like.

These similarities are nothing to call plagiarism, as stories and families like these can be found anywhere. Both "Grandma's Legacy" and "Flip Face 7" were released in April 2024.

The two films also have different approaches, different endings, and leave different messages for the same story about family.

Grandma's legacy is unique in its familiar themes.

Despite its familiar plot, Grandma's Inheritance takes a fresh approach.

The film is not told from the perspective of the elderly mother or her children, but rather from the perspective of the grandson named M (played by actor Putthipong Assaratanakul, also known as Billkin).

Initially, the granddaughter M approached and cared for her grandmother because she hoped to inherit the house - Photo: GDH

M was a carefree, unsuccessful game streamer and unemployed. He hadn't cared about his grandmother at all, only intending to look after her so he could inherit the house.

The humorous yet poignant approach of "Grandma's Inheritance " takes the film in a fresh direction. It doesn't just address the question of "who will take care of Mom" ​​or "who will Mom divide her assets with?", but also reflects on many deeper issues.

It's the loneliness of the elderly in a developed society. Mui, M's cousin and the heir to a house thanks to caring for her late grandfather, tells him that what the elderly need most is something their children and grandchildren cannot give them: quality time together.

When children and grandchildren haven't been with their parents long enough, they will always smell the scent of old age - Photo: GDH

"It's not enough that you can still smell the scent of old people. You have to be with her long enough to not smell anything strange anymore," Mui said.

This is because many descendants refuse to work honestly and instead rely on inheritances, causing their youth to be wasted.

That's when, as their mother grows old, children consider visiting or caring for her merely a "troublesome" obligation, forgetting the selfless care and sacrifices their mother made for them.

That's pragmatism. When the family members started competing to care for their mother, they also revealed their ulterior motive: they all wanted to inherit the house.

M's journey in the film resonates with many because, during the time he spends with his grandmother, confides in her, and takes care of her, he receives invaluable lessons that cannot be measured in money.

To answer the question in the title, "Mother's Legacy" and "Face Off 7" are not Thai or Vietnamese versions of each other.

Simply put, this theme is so prevalent in many cultures, especially in East Asian families, that the filmmakers sought to tell the story in a way that would allow every viewer to find themselves reflected in it.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chung-noi-co-don-cua-nguoi-gia-gia-tai-cua-ngoai-co-phai-lat-mat-7-phien-ban-thai-lan-20240609174219483.htm