The Vertical Ray of the Sun (Mua he chieu thang dung) (2000)
87%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
Tran Anh Hung’s The Vertical Ray of the Sun is a cinematic masterpiece that captures the essence of Vietnamese family life with its exquisite portrayal of love, loss, and longing. The film’s minimalism, which some critics argue works against it, is precisely what makes it so powerful. It’s a visual altar upon which to gaze, a prayer rung out across the movie palace, and a stirring of the skin where no breeze has traveled. Tran is not judgmental of his characters, and his ability to capture the beauty in the everyday is nothing short of remarkable. This is a gorgeous dream half-remembered, a benediction to the human experience, and a must-see for anyone who appreciates the art of cinema.
The Vertical Ray of the Sun” is a movie that takes you on a journey through the beauty of Vietnamese family life. Tran Anh Hung’s direction is exquisite, and the characters are all lost in their own way, but love can always redirect them to a better path. The film’s minimalism may not be for everyone, but it’s a gorgeous dream half-remembered that’s worth experiencing. Plus, who doesn’t love a good visual altar to gaze upon? Overall, it’s a very pleasant film that’s like a prayer rung out across the movie palace, stirring the skin where no breeze has traveled.
Production Company(ies)
Lilies Films, Arte France Cinéma Hold Up Films,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Halong Bay, Vietnam
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sex-related material
Year of Release
2000
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 52m
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Language(s):Vietnamese
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 6, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2012
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
The Vertical Ray of the Sun, drama, Tran Anh Hung, PG-13, Vietnamese, Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Le Khanh, Quang Hai Ngo, Chu Hung, Tran Manh Cuong, Sony Pictures Classics, box office, budget, reviewed by Kimberley Jones, Jonathan Foreman, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chris Vognar, John Hartl, Eric Harrison, Yasser Medina, B Ruby Rich, Mark Halverson, Jeffrey Overstreet, Chris Barsanti, Vadim Rizov, 81% Tomatometer, 86% audience score, three sisters, everyday life, secrets, Suong’s café, memorial meal, prayer, family, intimate, thematic elements, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Stereo, DTS, Dolby SR
Worldwide gross: $201,247
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $349,046
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,823
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 38,064
US/Canada gross: $110,134
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $191,018
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,554
US/Canada opening weekend: $32,248
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $55,931
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,165
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Nguyen Nhu Quynh – Suong
Le Khanh – Khanh
Quang Hai Ngo – Hai
Chu Hung – Quoc
Tran Manh Cuong – Kiên
Director(s)
Tran Anh Hung
Writer(s)
Tran Anh Hung
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (58) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (11)
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
October 30, 2001 | Rating: 2/4
Jonathan Foreman
New York Post
TOP CRITIC
October 30, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
This might just be the perfect time to soak up some of its calm and natural beauty.
October 11, 2001
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
Tran Anh Hung, who earned an Oscar nomination for his first movie, The Scent of Green Papaya (1993), has created another exquisite portrait of Vietnamese family life.
September 28, 2001
John Hartl
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
The film’s minimalism works against it.
September 21, 2001
Eric Harrison
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
‘The Vertical Ray of the Sun’ is a very pleasant film by Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung. [Full review in Spanish]
August 6, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
The Vertical Ray of the Sun, no mere movie, is a prayer rung out across the movie palace, a benediction to the everyday, a stirring of the skin where no breeze has traveled, a visual altar upon which to gaze.
February 24, 2020
B. Ruby Rich
The Nation
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 2/5
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
Tran is not judgmental of his characters. No one is a bad guy; everyone is lost, but only a few steps from the right path, and love can re-direct them to a better life.
December 6, 2004 | Rating: B+
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
a gorgeous dream half-remembered.
November 12, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5
Chris Barsanti
Film Threat
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 4/10
Vadim Rizov
Movie-Vault.com…
Plot
With the brilliant Vietnamese summer as a setting Vertical Ray of the Sun is beautiful from beginning to end. The plot centres around three sisters, two of whom are happily married (or so it appears). The youngest sister is single and living with her cute older brother, whom she is desperately in love with. A second sister is married to a man who has another woman and child elsewhere whom he loves just as much as his wife -with a few conditions, she agrees to carry on with the marriage. The third sister and her husband are overjoyed to discover she is pregnant, and though he is tempted, her husband remains loyal to her. Charming, slow-paced, face value, family saga film.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about The Vertical Ray of the Sun.
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