It’s a familiar story. Lost love. Is it worth pursuing? Touch answers that question for us.
“Kristofer, in situations like yours, people often seize the opportunity to take care of unfinished business”. Facing death before we’re ready, would we really take care of unfinished business? Director Baltasar Kormakur takes this common theme and builts a beautiful and touching story.
Based on an Icelandic novel, we hear the doctor’s admonition to the lead character. He has unfinished business that involves trying to find his lost love of 50 years. Has he had a full life life? Yes. Has he had a successful marriage, and a family? Yes. But he has never forgotten his beautiful Miko, the great love they shared, and how it ended so abruptly. As his quest and the movie evolve, we too take the journey into the past.
Kristopher was bored with school. The lessons learned at the London school of Economies did not seem to fit into his philosophy of life. When his friends learn that he has dropped out, and has taken a job at a Japanese restaurant as kitchen help, they are dumbfounded. But the audience is not. We’ve seen the first smitten meeting between Miko and Kristopher, and it seems to be love at first sight for both of them. The most fleeting of touches seals their fate.
Miko’s father, the restaurant’s owner (brilliantly portrayed by Masahiro Motoki) is unaware of this added dimension in his establishment. He just knows that he has hired a young man, capable of hard work, and eager to learn. He likes him. Miko knows that this would all change if he knew of his daughter’s budding love. So it is kept hidden. Mirrors and windows are well used in portraying the hiddeness and happiness of the forbidden love.
When Kristopher arrives at work one day, however, the successful restaurant is shuttered and empty. No notice. No work. No food. No Miko. Our hero is devastated and tries valiently to find his lost love. This continues through the years, but without success. He goes on to a happy life, but never completely forgets his early romance. When his life is on the line, it seems a fitting time to take up the quest again.
This story is a well worn one. In the hands of a lesser director, it might have felt trite or too familiar. But Baltasar Kormakur brings it to life through beautiful scenery, amazing music from the 70’s, and a simple, easy to follow double story line. We wantKristopher to find Miko. We want to know why the family left so abruptly. And when we find out, all makes sense.
A great story, however, can be marred if one doesn’t have skilled and wonderful actors in the various roles. Again, Mr Kormakur has hit a home run. The two actors playing the young lovers (Palmi Kormakur and Koki), are picture perfect. Skilled and beautiful. Their older counterparts are equally compelling to watch (Egill Olafsson and Yoko Narahashi).
If you want to see a movie this summer that will give you hope and a jolt of joy, see Touch. They say that some things are too good to be true. This movie shows us that sometimes things are too good not to be true.
Touch is in theatres on Friday, July 12th, 2024.
