‘Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell’ Review
Opening with a conversation about God and belief systems amidst the bustling streets of Saigon, Phạm Thiên An's feature directorial debut frequently returns to the gist of the conversation as its protagonist searches for answers to his own life in the mountainous regions of Vietnam. Through its meditative pace and striking camerawork, Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell situates the audience within one man’s interrogation of spirituality’s role in his own life. While relatively straightforward in its narrative and offering the kind of slow burn that can prove challenging to some viewers, An’s feature debut retains an introspective quality to it that confers with the past to try and make sense of present-day anxieties.
The sudden death of Thiện’s (Lê Phong Vũ) sister-in-law from a motorcycle accident leaves his nephew, Đào (Nguyễn Thịnh), without a guardian. Thiện’s brother, Tam, disappeared somewhere in rural Vietnam and has not been heard from since. Beginning to question his own spirituality, Thiện embarks on a journey to connect to his roots, bringing Đào with him to his hometown in an effort to find his brother Tam - and perhaps find himself along the way. As conversations arise with people in the village, Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell unravels Thiện’s ambivalence towards religion as he is confronted with people whose unwavering faith has given them a sense of purpose seemingly greater than his own.
It’s difficult not to compare films like Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell to the works of masters of slower-paced cinema like Tsai Ming-liang and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Employing the same languid pacing, An’s film captures the meditative disposition of its protagonist in similar ways to those directors’ films. Shot by Đinh Duy Hưng, and winner of the Caméra d’Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, almost every frame of Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell is gorgeous and mesmerizing in its execution. Bolstered by the beautiful rural Vietnam landscape, the film conveys a transformative experience through slight flourishes like a gradual zoom or tracking shots that facilely glide through the dusty streets of Thiện’s home village.
The visual element of a film like An’s is essential to making a light narrative, such as the one present here, ultimately work. Comprised mostly of conversations with people in Thiện’s village, there’s an almost otherworldly element imbuing each conversation with some greater sense of discovery - as if the pursuit of answers is enough to reach an understanding of life itself. That’s ultimately what Thiện’s purpose is when he returns home, trying to reckon with the potential of a divine plan operating outside of an individual’s power. He fixates on people helping the village without compensation, and his past affection for an old flame is at the forefront of his mind as he tries to understand why she devoted herself to God by becoming a nun.
At a lengthy runtime of 179 minutes, An’s feature debut is colossal in almost every regard except for its narrative, and yet, even that feels propulsive enough thanks to the way Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell is plotted. Opening with a busy amount of city life and tragedy, the film shifts into a more tranquil pace as Thiện journeys back home. Your mileage may vary on whether the conversations and introspection are intellectually stimulating enough to sustain its hefty runtime, but even when the film feels like it’s dragging a scene out too long, it still keeps the audience locked into the internal struggle that Thiện is facing. There are certainly scenes that demand the viewer be engaged with Thiện’s central plight, but there is a rewarding enrichment by the time extended long takes finally cut to a new perspective.
It can be challenging for an audience to commit to a movie like Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell. It’s not an easy ask for anyone nowadays, but that somewhat leans into the sensory overload that Thiện escapes when he searches for Đào’s father. Films in the same vein as An’s tend to lean on subdued performances and mesmerizing cinematography, keen on bringing the viewer into the fold naturally. That is the case here as well, but what makes Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell compliment its pacing so effectively is its thematic richness. The move from short films to feature-length projects gives An plenty of room to bring Thiện closer to God and, as a result, provides the audience with an unforgettably textured spiritual journey.
