echoes of the rainbow

A film review...

'Echoes of the Rainbow' (歲月神偷) is a film about a family in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The storyline is strikingly simple. The father in the movie is a shoemaker, who together with is wife struggle to maintain their family against a backdrop of social upheaval and an ailing economy. Their eldest son, a teenager, is a first class student, athletic champion and has a talent for the guitar and songwriting. The youngest son who is 8 years old is not the model student his older brother is, but dreams of being an astronaut and walks around with a fish bowl over his head in show of this.

We hear the story narrated by the 8 year old son and share in his family's warm moments, but also in their struggles against poverty and sickness. As the film is ultimately a tribute to the director's older brother, it is no surprise that the film has its poignant moments. The child is aptly appointed as the narrator as we see the uncomplex, yet touching story unfold through the innocent eyes of an 8 year old. The choice of storyteller is a great contributor to the film's success in conveying a simple story that has a powerful impact on the audience's emotions and thoughts.

The strong depiction of Hong Kong in the 1960s brings back memories for many, and introduces others to the life and times of those that lived at that point in history. The costumes and decor transport the audience from their 21st century lives to different times where the neighbourhood had dinner in a rather communal fashion outdoors, telephones were a rarity and songs of The Monkees played on the radio. Against this setting, the audience becomes deeply moved by the love between the parents, the parents and their children and between the two brothers. The scenes where the family members interrelate are crafted in such an effortless and direct manner that it is impossible not to have your heart strings tugged as you watch this film.