Wonderful Town

"Wonderful Town" is like an Alex Garland novel minus the mystery. Set in Southern Thailand, it takes us to the site of the 2004 tsunami. Bangkok-based writer-director Aditya Assarat says he has created the lead character Ton, an architect visiting a small coastal town devastated by the wave, in his own image. Ton falls in love with Na, a young woman working as a chambermaid at his hotel. Before long, he learns the hard way that her family doesn't like the idea of outsiders romancing local girls. Who would have guessed? The storytelling is painfully slow and predictable, and the mood is subdued throughout. One small thing I enjoyed was how Na uses essential oil as a universal remedy, a quirk not unlike Gus Portokalos' obsession with Windex in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". But even this magic potion can't cure her blues. The fact that local thugs run around wearing printed shirts spelling out "Grand Feeling" or "Importance" only adds to the general sense of loss and despair. You will enjoy "Wonderful Town" if you like slow-paced, melancholic movies. If you're looking for action, stay away.