sotan-1

This one is for people who both feel and think deeply. The writing is original, the acting is superb, the cinematography is virtuosic. That someone would think of writing and producing a film about a neurotic man who collects obsolete things which incorporates end-of-the-world discussion and Buddhist philosophy, then somehow imagining that people would want to watch it, is simply astounding. Even more astounding is that the movie is engrossing and not at all depressing - instead it is very much life affirming and a profound pleasure to watch. It moves slowly (a good thing) and it forgoes the typical Hollywood emotional overkill. One in a million!

If this movie were available, I am sure that it would be far more popular. It is a quite wonderful movie with a story unlike any other I have seen. A monk who has been cloistered most of his life, living in silence, must fly from France to Indonesia to get a signature to renew the property lease for his monastery. The poor fellow is quite unfamiliar with modern ways and to make matters worse, he develops claustrophobia on the plane and exits at its first stop - in India. His seat-mate, a savvy young black woman from New York, becomes his traveling companion. Yes, it is a road movie, but not a run of the mill road movie. This is a movie about decent people trying to do the decent thing in trying circumstances. The performances are wonderful, the scenery exotic, and the story full of emotional nuance as we watch two very different people learn to appreciate each other. I watched this in Austria - a friend had a videotape. To date, I have been unable to find this available on DVD. A shame, because it deserves wider recognition.