HERE -- Here and Now

Review by Joseph Fayed

​Relatability can truly make for compelling comfort cinema. We often emote the same way we see "ordinary" people on screen do so. Here follows two people with ordinary lives who, like many people, make it through their daily struggles while seeking a greater purpose. Unfortunately, any realism felt from this rather mundane story won't elicit much of a reaction from viewers. 

The film follows Stefan, a construction worker living in Brussels. He plans to leave for an extended period and decides to make soup using ingredients from his fridge before he goes. Giving it out to friends and family, he meets Shuxiu, a doctoral student studying moss. Stefan's kind gesture takes on a new meaning, bringing him closer to Shuxiu than they expected. 

Whether they're depicted as the start of a flaming romance or a lifelong friendship, and the script can be interpreted as both, the characterization of Stefan and Shuxiu I can equate to nothing more than Wonder Bread. Their chemistry with each other is dry enough that small talk with a complete stranger would feel less awkward. It's simply not believable enough that these two would cross paths unless a life-altering event involving both of them would occur.

The script does manage to keep everything light-hearted. It forgoes having our two main characters interact until the film's second half. This is likely to establish who Stefan and Shuxiu are, but neither is written to be compelling enough to be more than supporting characters. Shuxiu's introduction, the most beautiful part of the film, feels devastatingly out of place with a voiceover and various shots of nature. With a better setup, this moment would be more than just a wasted soliloquy. 

Stefan Gota (Stefan) and Liyo Gong (Shuxiu) were not miscast; they simply weren't meant to be paired together like they were. Gota is passable in his role, even if he doesn't bring the same type of quirkiness to his character, a la Amelie. Gong has the delivery that would serve her well in other indie dramas, and if she can make moss sound slightly interesting, I have a lot of faith in her going forward. The most praise goes to the cinematography, which captures a beautiful look at Brussels and its surroundings. Any outdoor shots make the green scenery look stunning, and I was certainly in awe of that color palette versus anything else on the screen. 

Here won't capture your undivided attention, but its premise is relatively harmless at best. While it seems like there was a mismatch between the two leads during chemistry screenings, this is suitable if you want to turn your brain off for 80 minutes. Moss girlies, rise up; Here is the representation you have all been waiting for. ​

Here is now playing in theaters.

Rating: 2.5/5