A Family Considers a Future Without Their Beloved Robot

Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja and Justin H. Min 
in "After Yang"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 2016, author Alexander Weinstein published a collection of captivating science-fiction short stories called “Children of the New World.”  Though his vivid imagination and relatable characters, each story, despite their quick length, was able to paint a picture of futuristic technology to which we seem to be getting closer every day.  There’s a bleakness that runs throughout these stories that create eery, cautionary narratives that are loaded with different angles from which you can interpret these parables.

One story from that collection is “Saying Goodbye to Yang,” which has been adapted by writer-director Kogonada for his second film, “After Yang,” a poignant and meditative drama that proves there are still wonderful stories to tell about the relationship between humans and robots.

In the not-too-distant future, Jake (Colin Farrell), Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), and their adopted daughter, Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja) live with a robotic child named Yang (Justin H. Min).  One day, when Yang becomes unresponsive, the family attempt to repair him, but also must consider moving on without him.

Farrell and Turner-Smith have a restraint to their performances that punctuates the sadness they feel with the unsureness of Yang’s situation.  Their concern is palpable throughout, both in terms of what they’re going to do with Yang and how they’re going to help their daughter process his absence and the possibility of him not coming back.  The love that they have for both Mika and Yang is heartwarming to witness, and the soft-spoken, yet powerful nature of Farrell and Turner-Smith’s performances is a solace that carries you through the emotional uncertainty.

Tjandrawidjaja provides wonderful work as a young girl who has a profound bond with Yang.  She displays a joyfulness when they’re spending time together, and the woe when he’s not around.  With this, Tjandrawidjaja inhabits a character who doesn’t see Yang as a robot, but as a cherished friend.

Although Min plays a robot, he portrays his character more as an individual who’s stunningly human and trying to understand the deeper aspects of the world around him.  There are some hints of robotic-ness in the way he moves, but his humanistic qualities present Yang as someone who has assimilated into the family, expressing the same amount of love towards them as they for him.  There’s a passion for the human experience that we see in Yang, and Min absorbs the viewer in his character’s enthusiasm to engage with his surroundings.

Despite the source material only being 22 pages, Kogonada’s screenplays is able to lengthen the story by expanding certain aspects of Weinstein’s work.  There are more scenes shared by Jake, Kyra, and Mika, allowing us to see how Yang’s absence impacts each of them, and there’s a fascinating arc given to a supporting character that’s only mentioned in passing in the short story.  However, two primary areas within the expansion of the source narrative is how we’re given flashbacks of Yang and a few looks into his memories.  While Yang remains in an unresponsive state for most of the source material, we’re given several flashbacks as we see him interact with his family, letting us see how much they all meant to each other and deepening his character’s journey through understanding life.  Linked with his examination on life is a few scenes where we’re able to see Yang’s recorded memories, particularly in one sequence near the end were we view memories that span years, which may be the most beautiful segment of the film as we experience the world through Yang’s wisdom-filled eyes.

Just as Kogonada exemplified with his debut film, “Columbus,” he knows how to use both architectural structures and natural landscapes to help us examine his characters in their own environments and the larger world around them.  With cinematography by Benjamin Loeb, Kogonada has the film linger on shots as we take in and study both the settings and the characters, which helps with the film’s contemplative tone.  With this tone that Kogonada used in “Columbus,” he once again explores the concept of facing an impending loss of a loved one.  However, he doesn’t do so in an overly emotional way, but instead employs a sense of calm and uses an introspective approach as we watch how Jake, Kyra, and Mika navigate a tough situation.

Science-fiction is a bottomless well from which you can find fascinating drama, making “After Yang” a beautiful exploration of a human story, not just for its flesh-and-blood characters, but for Yang, as well.

Grade: A