23/26
A man quits his job to take care of his dying grandmother, motivated by her wealth. He plans to win her favor before she passes away. This is actually the film debut of 78-year-old housewife Usa Semkhum, who plays the role of grandmother Meng Yu. M: Have you ever been lonely: I wouldn’t call it lonely? It’s part of the process of life Amah: I have a problem with the day after Chinese New Year. When there are leftovers from the night before in the fridge and I know I have to eat them alone. No matter how hard you try to hold back the tears, the wall will probably collapse at the end, and the van will say goodbye so beautifully in the background. Looking at the scene, one wonders. Are the tears shed because the film is well-made, or simply because the audience (including me) immediately connects the events on the screen with personal memories? The answer is «both.» “How to Make a Million Before Grandma Dies” feels compassionate because it has a deep understanding of family dynamics, especially in Asian families. How inheritance can erase love, how warm a moment it is to gather at grandma’s, how much a grandma awaits the arrival of her children and grandchildren, dressed in her best clothes, and how overwhelming the loneliness is after being together, especially for the elderly, living alone. Memories of moments spent together are truly a valuable legacy.