Film Review: Beyond Rangoon (1995) Happiness is a valuable gift that comes for a short time.
Nothing in this life just happens. The religion of a country is a conscious choice of its people, based on the mentality of people living in a certain area. Religion is one of the mechanisms for managing people, so this mechanism should not fail. It is necessary to take into account the psychotypes of people, the propensity for entrepreneurship, attitude to power and strangers, religion should reflect the characters of the inhabitants of this region. Buddhism, chosen as a religion by the inhabitants of Indochina, is considered the most peaceful of the world's religious teachings. Therefore, people who profess the teachings of the Buddha should actually live in an earthly paradise, universal love and respect. But as history goes back thousands of years, cruelty in this corner of the world was abundant. Terrible dictators, brutal political regimes, genocides for all kinds of reasons and without them. Choose not to choose your religion, it will not save you from dictators.
In 1988, a young American woman, Laura Bowman (Patricia Arquette), who is experiencing the death of her husband and son, travels to Burma, where an anti-government movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi begins. Laura, unwittingly, finds herself in the thick of the action, making her way together in former professor U Aung Ko towards Thailand. Observing the surrounding country of monks and soldiers, talking with a professor who has become her close, Laura returns to life.
The era of the destruction of the old order by the wind of change blowing from the West, destroyed and trampled more than one state and political system at the end of the twentieth century. Many of those who were blown away by this wind deserved a similar fate, making mistakes and not wanting to rebuild. Those who did not keep pace with the changing world, could not or did not want to accept the new rules of the game, gave way to the stronger or those who had serious patrons. Revolutions make romantics, but executioners end. The Burmese revolution, and many other revolutions, were driven by students and professors. People brought up on Western values and tried to instill them in the rest of the unreasonable population. Unlike the choice of religion, the way of life and thinking is almost impossible to change. The educated minority imposes its will on the passive majority. Forgetting that the tamed bird, as long as you do not let it go, will always return to its cage.
John Boorman’s film looks like the standard political agitation of the mid-nineties, where everything is smeared in black and white colors, and the director makes it clear which side he is on. But in Rangoon’s case, the Burmese Revolution is only the backdrop to Laura’s awakening from life’s uncertainty and the pursuit of goals for which she is willing to die. The beauty of the Asian country comes to the fore, with all its outward tinsel for the Westerner, and inner strength and deep spirituality, for themselves and those who can feel Myanmar rather than Burma. Laura was one of the few who, seeing - saw, touching - felt a culture hitherto unfamiliar to her. Through the cruelty of soldiers and self-sacrifice of monks, conversations with the professor and wordless understanding with the son of a boatman.
The excitement surrounding the collapse of the old world changes Laura, makes her stronger. Rescuing a wounded professor from the river, despair and the desire to be as far away from everything that is happening is replaced by a determination, fueled by symbols of the past, allowing her to break through the dense thickets that embody the trials facing her. Laura goes through the thickets, overcomes herself. Taking unconscious steps into the unknown, Laura takes the same path as the monks.
A clearer understanding of what Laura now feels, helps the brilliant music of Hans Zimmer. Showcasing Laura's inner strength, the music looms and gains momentum like a tension circling in the air and gathering into an energy clot shooting at the same time as the actress. Another is the melody indicating the movement of the heroine, calm, measured, making it clear she chose the right path and everything will be fine.
Patricia Arquette played perhaps her best role, showing a smooth but very noticeable and convincing transition from an amorphous married American woman, through a young girl struggling with her fears and doubts, to a confident and firmly aware of what she wants. I'll be here as long as I'm needed, says Laura, while in a refugee hospital, realizing that she's chosen the medical profession for good reason. If she had said these words at the beginning, it would have been self-deception; now there is no doubt in her determination. Taking one life, saving herself, she redeems herself by returning to her destiny. Laura finds her happiness in saving lives.
Most likely, the prototype, or example for the inspiration of Burman was Aung San Suu Kyi. The director tried to show how an ordinary girl could have a steel character, which allowed her to go through many trials and chose her hard way. Patricia Arquette managed to fully show the traits inherent in strong personalities, becoming a strong Laura Bowman.
If you like contemplative cinema with good acting, excellent camera work and incredible hypnotizing music, then here you go. This film hooked me with music, leaving only pleasant memories, something bright and correct, immersed in a mediative state. The film will definitely find its audience.
P.S. The word Beyond in the context applicable to the name can be translated both as “Beyond” and as “beyond”. It doesn't matter. But I saw it for the first time as “Away from Rangoon” and I can’t take the name any other way.
7 out of 10