SOURCE
Title: Columbus
Genre: Drama
Director: Kogonada
Cast: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Rory Culkin, Michelle Forbes, Parker Posey, Erin Allegretti, Jim Dougherty, Rosalyn Ross, Shani Stiles and Lindsey Shope
Release date: August, 2017.
Running Time: 104mins
Jin(John Cho), a Korean - born, American raised book translator came to Columbus to see his estranged comatosed father. His father is a well known architect that went to Columbus to deliver a lecture, but slumped before he could go and went into coma, bringing Jin to Columbus.
Cassey(Haley Lu Richardson), a Columbus native and a high school graduate who is reluctant to leave Columbus but chose to stay and take care of her mum, Maria(Michelle Forbes)a recovering addict instead of pursuing her dreams. She had several college opportunities outside Columbus but she didn't take them. She works as a volunteer in a local library. She has a passion for architecture and she enjoys showing the architectural buildings to visitors.
Cassey and Jin's paths cross and they form a strong friendship, exploring the beauty of architecture in the city. To Cassey, architecture is an escape route, like a music that heals her soul while to Jin, it is a bitter reminder of how his father neglected him as a child and focused on architecture. That made Jin to abandon his family to become a Korea to English book translator in Korea. As their friendship grows, they explore both the town and their conflicting emotions: Jin's estranged relationship with his father and Cassey's reluctance to leave her mother. They both have secondary love interest, Jin's dad's colleague Eleanor (Parker Posey) and Casey's college graduate colleague Gabrielle (Rory Culkin).
POSITIVE ELEMENT Cassey has a beautiful and selfless soul. Though it is good to pursue our dreams, but she put hers on hold to take care of her mum. She is seen to constantly put other people's happiness before her own
SPIRITUAL CONTENT We hear Jin speaking of ghosts. He told Cassey of a Korean belief, that if he is not present when his dad dies, it is believed that his spirit won't be at peace and he roam as a ghost.
SEXUAL CONTENT Jin was telling Eleanor about Cassey, and it was revealed that He had a crush on Eleanor, they shared a kiss but she stopped it before it could proceed to anything further.
VIOLENT CONTENT NONE.
CRUDE/PROFANE WORDS characters made few use of the f-word and the s-word.
DRUG/ALCOHOL Characters drink beer and wine. Cassey and Jin smokes cigarette. There is a mention of meth, as Casey's mum is a recovering addict.
OTHER NEGATIVE ELEMENTS Jin was neglected by his father as a child but that is not enough to wish the old man dead. Jin said it himself that he wanted his father to die, he is a bitter and unforgiving person. Even while in Columbus, he rarely go to hospital to see him, unless pushed by Eleanor.
CONCLUSION Kogonada have successfully portrayed the beauty of architecture in this drama. The movie may not sound like much but Kogonada has successfully left the viewers in awe, this is as a result of its settings, Columbus, Indiana., known for its modernist architecture and beautiful buildings. Architecture has never been more romantic than in this Columbus movie and it is difficult to find a better looking movie in terms of framing and composition. The stars in turn bring light to the movie with each scene beautifully composed. This is a movie on the importance of gathering together to look at the world around us.
I will give Columbus 9/10.