THE STORY – In Hong Kong, a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night — and possibly her life.
THE CAST – Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson & Jin Ha
THE TEAM – Kogonada (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes
It’s tough when an artist just doesn’t work for you. Oftentimes, it can feel like you’re the problem, especially when many respectable voices highly praise said artist. Such is the case with myself and Kogonada, the video essayist turned filmmaker. While I can recognize the unquestionable beauty of his patient, contemplative films “Columbus” and “After Yang,” something about their deliberate pacing and introspective dialogue keeps me at a distance (I skipped his latest film, the tepidly-received “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” altogether). But like any good cinephile, I’m always willing to give additional chances, and the enigmatic, supernatural-sounding plot description of his new film “zi” caught my attention. But alas, all of the qualities that make a Kogonada film unique and distinctly his are here. Which is to say, anyone who found themselves swept up in and enchanted by the stories and worlds he crafted in his past films will likely feel similarly about “zi,” but it won’t convert any skeptics.
The titular Zi is played by Michelle Mao. She’s a young woman in Hong Kong whom we meet at the start of the film, visiting her parents’ graves. And from an early phone call, it can be gleaned that she’s awaiting some sort of diagnosis to explain neurological issues she’s been having. Through her perspective, we quickly see what’s disturbing her: she keeps seeing visions of herself, but slightly removed from her current position and in the future. This premonistic ability leads Zi to El (Haley Lu Richardson), a young woman similarly wandering Hong Kong. El is an American dancer who, tired of receiving rejections at auditions, fled her home country. She approaches a distressed-looking Zi on the street, who claims to have seen El in the future. The concerned El attaches herself to Zi, hoping to help her and, maybe, herself at the same time.
From the very beginning, the film adopts a deadly serious tone. Every single thing every character says, no matter how far-fetched, is taken at face value by those they’re interacting with, and thus by the movie itself. Every line is cloaked in meaning, begging the audience to feel as profoundly about the characters’ circumstances as the characters do. This humorlessness is simply tiring and makes the film feel taxing, like getting stuck talking to a self-important freshman philosophy major at a college party. The meandering structure – both in the light plot and in the literal actions of the characters – calls to mind Kogonada’s first feature, “Columbus.” But that film at least used the framing device of the main characters’ shared appreciation for the unique modern architecture of Columbus, Indiana. This gave their ambling a purpose. Here, it’s a much more aimless outing.
Every element of the film contributes to its melancholy feeling, including the sparse, sad (but admittedly pretty) musical selections. And as is always the case with Kogonada’s movies, it’s shot and cut with an inarguable beauty. Cinematographer Benjamin Loeb frames the characters against the concrete structures of Hong Kong, emphasizing their smallness amid the region’s vastness. Wide shots are especially effective when depicting Zi’s futuristic foresight, giving them an eerie quality. And the editing, done by Kogonada himself, swirls and stirs the narrative, making the audience feel as untethered to linear time as the main character.
Haley Lu Richardson is a frequent muse of Kogonada’s; this film marks their third collaboration after “Columbus” and “After Yang.” And clearly, the pair works well together. Richardson is fantastic, investing El with a bohemian energy that feels appropriate, given her artistic background. This helps sell her instant connection with Zi better than the writing does. Even if this isn’t perfectly explained, Richardson’s spirit helps make the fast bond feel less sudden and strange. Michelle Mao is a captivating presence as Zi, managing to make an underdeveloped character compelling. Jin Ha plays Min, a friend of El’s, and just like Mao, he does his best to make a flat character captivating. At least he gets a chance to show off his beautiful singing voice; it’s no wonder that he’s performed on Broadway.
Despite being well-shot and beautifully constructed, as all Kogonada films are, “zi” is a ponderous, rambling journey. Its director’s brand of deeply earnest, conversational movies, revolving more around characters exchanging ideas than a typical plot, may be a desired flavor for his fans. However, for others, such as this critic, he remains an acquired taste that’s still frustratingly unacquired.
