A nostalgic view in a past romance and its impact on the present…
Pueng, a general’s daughter, is going to marry Mann, a military officer. During one of their dates, she stumbles upon Boyd, an ex-boyfriend of hers, who is currently working as a photographer. A little later and as martial law due to a coup is declared in the country, she is invited to a wedding of a high school friend. back in her hometown, Chanthaburi. Boyd is the photographer of the marriage and the two of them have to face their unresolved feelings for each other, as they take a trip down memory lane. Soon, however, Mann also comes to Chanthaburi.
Kongdej Jaturanrasamee pens and directs a film where the protagonists obviously belong to the mobile-phone generation. Pueng, who is constantly on her phone, taking pictures and posting them on social media, exemplifies this fact. Kongdej manages to implement this tendency artfully in the film, as the various scenes and occasionally feelings of the protagonists are introduced through photos in the form usually appearing on social media. This artfulness benefits the most by the editing of Kamontorn Eakwattanakij and Manussa Vorasingha, who implement this trait in the fashion of old silent movies, which presented black screens with words between scenes, retaining however, the contemporary essence of the film.
The sentiment that permeates the film is definitely nostalgia, as the ex-schoolmates roam around their old school, meet with relatives, and ride their bikes in Chanthaburi. Eventually, the sentiment the protagonists feel turns into a confrontation with the past, as Boyd receives his parent’s complaints for not visiting any more, Pueng visits her old house that has now become a beauty salon, and the two of them face their feelings for each other. The slow pace and the subtle and almost non-existent music heighten these sentiments, even more.
The coup that takes place during these events does not have an impact on the film, apart from some minor scenes, and I am not sure of its purpose, since it does not even set the tone as a background.
Kongdej bases the majority of the film upon Waruntorn Paonil, a singer who made her debut in this film, and she delivers in wonderful fashion, artfully depicting her character’s feelings, without having to resort to many words. The scene where they all sit in two tables and she tries desperately to make eye-contact with Boyd, and the one during her marriage, are the best examples of this trait. Toni Rakkaen as Boyd does not act very much, as his role is small and undemanding, but his chemistry with Paonil is evident throughout the film, and exemplified in the scene in the aquarium. The fact that they are both gorgeous, definitely plays its role in the fact.
Another great aspect of the film is the framing, with a number of scenes looking as beautiful postcards, benefiting the most by Umpornpol Yugala’s cinematography and Manop Chaengsawang’s art direction.
Snap is an art-house film that manages, despite its evident low budget, to be both aesthetically and technically artful, while exemplifying Waruntorn Paonil’s acting skills.
The film was produced by Song Sound Production and distributed by Mosquito Films Distribution