The Vertical Ray of the Sun

Three sisters in modern-day Hanoi struggle to cope with the anniversary of their parents' death--along with some buried secrets that threaten family harmony--in Tran Anh Hung's meditation on tradition, love, and deception. Like the director's previous two films, The Scent of Green Papaya and Cyclo, this one is also replete with beautifully composed images. But where Cyclo offered up an engaging drama, Hung's latest is closer to Scent in that it is more about its characters simply being rather than inhabiting a conventional story. Except for some diverting flashes of playful humor, the film mainly dwells on quietly observed everyday behavior amidst lovingly filmed surfaces…making it a bit of an acquired taste. A strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)