SPOILERS AHEAD (obviously)…
The Resemblance, a short film directed by Derek Nguyen, explores loss and turbulent family dynamics over a span of fifteen minutes. David and Lan’s son, Daniel, took his own life two years ago. The grieving parents now try to reconcile with their grief through the unconventional method of hiring an actor to play the role of Daniel. Consequentially, a night of tension and emotion arises, leaving the family to confront the demons of their past.
This short film examines family, sorrow, and loss through an abstract lens. While dialogue plays a prominent role in portraying the narrative, many unspoken details remain critical to the storyline as well. Visual cues, David’s actions as well as his relationship with his son, and the aura of Daniel himself piece together a complex narrative surrounding family and interpersonal relationships.
Dancing Shoes
There are a few impactful visual cues that provide insight into the film’s overarching narrative. At the beginning of the film, two pictures in frames appear in the same shot. One of the photos shows Daniel wearing a tuxedo of some sort, appearing to be involved in a performance. The other reveals him at an older age with a medal around his neck. Both show his involvement and success, most likely in dance, which he discusses later on. When Daniel’s bedroom is revealed, artistic feminine posters line the walls and ballet slippers hang from a vanity mirror, symbolic of the story that the Daniel entity shares with David.
Father and Son
It is clear from the start of the film that David and Lan heavily contrast as characters. Lan shows much more despair and sorrow over her son whereas David remains very still and somber. On the night the Daniel entity arrives, Lan dresses up while David appears wears more casual attire. She tells him to make more of an effort. Later, when the three characters sit for dinner, David asks why Daniel has not called. While this is bizarre seeing that David and Lan know that Daniel is no longer alive, it seems that David is committed to the process and wants to fully believe that Daniel is simply still alive, prompting him to continue on with business as usual. Daniel replies that he didn’t think they wanted to hear from him. This is the first true sign of a ripple in their father-son relationship.
The tension in the household overflows when the Daniel entity relives a brutal memory in which David caught him wearing ballet slippers for the first time and hit him. He also reminds David that the last time they spoke he told his son that he would be better off dead. This cause David to finally feel and release his emotions toward the situation, breaking down and showing a softness that shocks the room. The dynamic that David and Daniel share tells of how the loss of Daniel likely occurred.
Flesh or Phantom
Throughout the film, the prominent question remains; is the Daniel entity an actor hired to play David and Lan’s son, or is he the real that has been resurrected somehow? This remains ambiguous, but there are several signs that pose a different perspective. David and Lan are instructed at the beginning of the film to fill out a form as accurately as they can so that the agency they are working with will “find the right person.” Comparing the Daniel entity to the photos or their son, he appears as a carbon copy of Daniel himself. When he arrives at the household, he remains mostly expressionless. This could be because, as an actor, he is attempting to perform a realistic portrayal and reading his audience as he goes. However, it could instead be a trait he inherited from his father, remaining emotionless during troubled times.
More subtleties are exposed by the Daniel entity as he spends the evening with David and Lan. When dinner is served, he notes that the meal is just like when he was a kid. This could be because an actor closely studied the form that David and Lan thoroughly filled out, or it could be because the entity is the real Daniel actually remembering the meal. The pair of parents also marvel at the way he holds his chopsticks, clearly a method unique to Daniel himself. The question remains whether or not this is due to impressive acting chops or an incredible act of resurrection.
The Daniel entity later holds a music box with a ballerina inside, appearing somber and focused. He looks into the vanity mirror at the reflection of his father so that the viewer sees him gazing directly at them. It is a haunting shot that is held for a long time as the Daniel entity tells of his traumatic memory of his father seeing him try on ballet slippers and brutally punishing him for it. David reveals that the story was never mentioned outside the household. Shortly after this, when David breaks down, the Daniel entity still appears mostly expressionless but shocked all the same. He exhibits compassion for David, as does Lan. The three join together in a loving embrace and seem to find some common ground for the first time in a long time, possibly ever. At the beginning of the film the agency’s employee tells David and Lan that the experience only works if they believe in it. It is left ambiguous whether or not the Danial entity is a paid actor or the phantom of Daniel himself, but what remains clear is the closure that is ultimately given to his loved ones.
