Touch – REVIEW

As a cinephile with a penchant for both the mainstream and the offbeat, I found ‘Touch‘ to be a delightful surprise from director Baltasar Kormakur. Coming from a man who has churned out commercial blockbusters like ‘Everest’ and ‘Beast’, his return to more intimate, character-driven films was a breath of fresh air.

Who would have thought that director Michael Bay would have helmed a moving and insightful version of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights? Of course no one did which would explain why he never has albeit his revisionist script did include explosions, blatant product placement and giant robots. It’s for a similar reason that actor turned director Baltasar Kormakur new film ‘Touch’ has come from leftfield when his previous films have included highly commercial movies such as survivalist adventure ‘Everest’ and most recently giant killer lion film, ‘Beast’.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share that the film “Touch” is an adaptation from Olaf Olafson’s own novel, and he collaborated on the script with the director. This film harks back to the director’s earlier, more intimate breakout work, ‘101 Rekyavik’ (2000). The movie starts melancholic, following Kristofer (Egill Olafsson), a widower and restaurant owner, who receives a devastating diagnosis of early-onset dementia. There’s an added layer of poignancy as the actor himself was diagnosed with a similar condition during filming. His doctor, all too aware of the disease’s ruthless nature, doesn’t sugarcoat the news and advises him to settle unfinished business. However, achieving that closure proves more challenging than expected on the brink of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the world begins to close down and he travels to London amidst strictening restrictions – a stark contrast to the disgraced Prime Minister Boris Johnson, symbolizing a past-due dairy product infused with the genetic code of Pol Pot.

The story starts with a sequence of extended flashbacks, spanning 50 years, that depict Kristhoper’s life as a student at LSE, which is portrayed by the director’s own son Pálmi Kormákur. In contrast to his radical classmates, Kristhoper finds employment as a dishwasher in a small Japanese restaurant and quickly progresses to food preparation under the stern guidance of Takaashi –San, played by Masahiro Motoki. Fascinated by the culture, Kristhoper eagerly learns Japanese language and culinary skills, but his interest extends beyond hobbies as he develops feelings for Mikeo, the owner’s daughter (Koki). What starts as a clandestine romance blossoms into something more serious. As their relationship deepens, Kristhoper discovers that Mikeo’s family had fled Hiroshima and settled in England to start anew. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he arrives at the restaurant one day to find it closed down with no sign of the family.

In these extended sequences, the narrative shifts back and forth as the bond between characters strengthens. As Krisopher’s younger and older selves search for Mikeo, they initially struggle to find their footing, but as the health of the older Krisopher deteriorates and travel restrictions due to lockdown increasingly limit his movements – both in the UK and abroad – the urgency of their quest intensifies.

Exploring the enigma of Mikeo’s vanishing act in this movie is nothing short of captivating, as the narrative unfolds gradually, leading to an emotionally poignant and wistful finale. This film stands apart from the director’s recent Hollywood productions, offering a delicate, engrossing, and consistently engaging experience.

We chat with director Baltasar Kormakur about the making of the film….

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Here’s the Touch trailer…..

2024-09-01 02:24

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