How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is rich with great performances and sharp writing

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How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is rich with great performances and sharp writing

As a film enthusiast with a penchant for stories that delve deep into human emotions and familial bonds, I found “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” to be a captivating and heartwarming masterpiece. The movie’s raw authenticity, particularly in the portrayal of its characters, resonated with me profoundly.

It appears that the movie titled “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” is similar in spirit to previous films like “How to Train Your Dragon“, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days“, and “How to Marry a Millionaire“. In this story, the main character, M (Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul), spends his days streaming video games instead of attending college. He finds himself trapped in a cycle, lacking ideas on how to generate wealth in today’s world. His spirit seems lethargic due to the perceived lack of opportunities. However, things change when he learns that his cousin Mui (Tontawan “Tu” Tantivejakul) works as a caretaker for elderly individuals nearing the end of their lives.

As a gamer, I find myself drawn into a challenging quest now that my grandmother, Mengju (Usha “Taew” Seamkhum), has been diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer. Knowing she needs support, I decide to step up and become an integral part of her life. At first, Mengju is wary of me, but as we navigate this journey together, I sense that our connection might be more profound than either of us realizes. This isn’t just about a get-rich-quick scheme anymore; it’s about love, family, and standing by each other in times of need.

Screenwriters Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn and Pat Boonnitipat (with the latter also directing) base their work “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” around an unapologetically selfish and seemingly unsympathetic character. The intriguing title itself hints at manipulation rather than emotional release! Unlike other less impactful films, they refrain from cluttering the script with countless subplots or origins to rationalize M’s financial ambitions. Instead, Thiptinnakorn and Boonnitipat plunge fearlessly into this narrative thread, displaying a bold, unselfconscious approach that forms an intriguing foundation for the story.

This candor informs darkly humorous cynical moments like Mui offering M advice on how he can “rack up your score” when it comes to getting on the good side of dying elderly folks. Such bursts of grim comedy and narrative succinctness (there’s no beating around the bush about M’s motivations) are incredibly welcome. This narrative approach allows How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies to explore complicated familial dynamics with a similar level of bluntness. At one point, Mui notes to M that newer members of a family don’t stand a chance of getting affection from folks like Mengju. Competition from older relatives, like their parents, is just too stiff. “They’ve been loved long before we came along,” Mui sighs before immediately returning to nonchalant conversation.

It’s a line puncturing the idea of “I love all my kids/grandkids equally” we all hear our entire lives. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies doesn’t just make no bones about M’s motivation for helping his elderly relative. It also refuses to flinch from depicting how messy familial dynamics are. The people you’re permanently latched to through blood can also drive you into the greatest emotional pits. It’s one thing hearing your parents or grandparents say they love you. It’s another to feel like you’re getting proper affection or care.

This film titled “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” skillfully navigates the complexities of family dynamics, often using darkly humorous scenes such as Mengju’s blunt ranking of her descendants or the strained relationship between Mengju and Chew (Sarinrat “Jear” Thomas). However, it also delves into more heart-wrenching scenarios, like the turbulent bond between Mengju and Chew. It’s refreshing to see movies that authentically portray families as they truly are. “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” accomplishes this with a touch of elegance. What makes it even more impactful is how this authenticity enhances the evolving relationship between Mengju and M, making their bond all the more poignant.

Amidst their tumultuous family life, two remaining relatives gradually forge an emotional bond that becomes profoundly significant. This dynamic is skillfully portrayed through Assaratanakul’s nuanced acting in the movie “Before Grandma Dies.” Characters similar to 2000s American ‘man-child’ comedy protagonists can often be tiresome. However, Assaratanakul’s character M isn’t an unpleasant figure from the start but rather a relatable flawed individual. His imperfections are familiar, not exaggerated portrayals of depraved behavior. As the story unfolds, Assaratanakul effectively maintains M’s authenticity while showing his personal growth. The initial gaming-obsessed slacker aspect is subtly present throughout the entire performance.

In the film “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies“, it’s Usha “Taew” Seamkhum who truly steals the show. Boonnitipat cleverly provides a short montage at the start of the movie to highlight Mengju’s personal life, distinct from M and other family members. Through a simple scene of Mengju watering her plants, Seamkhum conveys an authenticity that feels utterly genuine. Her physical performance carries a sense of realism that instantly draws you into this character’s emotions. Seamkhum then skillfully portrays Mengju’s feisty side (her scolding of M for the wrong kind of fish is hilarious) and her raw vulnerability with great finesse. The quiet rawness in which she delivers lines like “Am I about to die, isn’t it?” resonates deeply due to Seamkhum’s understated yet powerful delivery.

The elaborate elements in the movie titled “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” sometimes collide with its conventional melodramatic parts. A character, Rainbow (Himawari Tajiri), is often used to deliver overly scripted dialogues. On the other hand, Jaithep Raroengjai’s score includes jarring musical elements that can be quite distracting, often conflicting with more nuanced performances. However, Boonyanuch Kraithong’s cinematography stands out as particularly beautiful, with both him and Boonnitipat excelling at creating striking scenes of framing for the movie “Before Grandma Dies.

In this scene, the filmmakers cleverly emphasize the visual harmony by aligning the placement of character ‘M’ in two distinct shots throughout the movie. At the outset, when M is engrossed in his phone and appears in the foreground of a shot showing family members attending to a grave, it underscores his distance from his loved ones. The proximity of the camera, making him take up most of the frame, also hints at M’s self-centeredness.

In a later scene, we find M isolated from his family again, but this time he’s positioned far back in the scene rather than the foreground. His selfless actions have caused him to step back, as opposed to being disconnected for selfish reasons in previous instances. The visual differences between these shots effectively convey M’s character development.

The symmetry there is a blink-and-miss-it detail. However, it epitomizes the thoughtfulness going into the imagery of How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies. Such consideration informs this sharp script and deeply idiosyncratic performances. No wonder the motion picture earns all the tears it wrings out of viewers before the credits begin rolling. Granted, it would’ve been cool for the film to feature some more connections to the How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Universe, but you can’t have it all.

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2024-09-11 23:45