Touch – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Touch – Through a Heart’s Rhythm: First Love & Forever 

Life is a bending road of hardship and endeavors.  Within each turn, that define (of life) can showcase the lasting of moments … leading into heartfelt stories for any medium, including film.  Through the big screen, life can become a magical journey of worth.  That raw experience, if done right, will leave you with that everlasting mark.  In this review, I look at the latest indie/romance film.  Within a simple story of moments, Touch rises above the genre to become a redefining tale of the heart.

In a tale spanning decades, we follow one man’s journey as he tries to reconnect with his first love.  With the art of storytelling, it becomes a balancing act of genuine entertainment and humanistic intrigue.  With this tale, the filmmakers start from a general foundation (romance), but slowly build upon a redefining journey of one’s heart.  In the beginning, we are introduced to Kristofer (Egill Olaffsson), an elder Icelandic man who (due to certain reasons), decides its time to reconnect with his first love in life, Miko (Yoko Narahashi).  Through techniques of ‘show not tell’ storytelling and grounded conversations, we follow Kristofer on his journey as he travels across multiple countries, reliving memories within hopes of rekindling the moments (of the past).  As he embarks on this ‘love quest’, the filmmakers begin to shift into an approach of fragmenting the linear directive.  Within the present main story, it is layered with flashbacks, where the audience follows a young Kristofer (Palmi Kormakur) working at a Japanese restaurant in London, where he meets a young Miko (Koki).  Through this approach, it brings a unique depth to the characters, peeling back situations that build upon the brevity of circumstance.  As each scene builds upon the next, it redefines the thematic appeal of human endeavors, creating a journey that pushes past the predictability of a love story.  Through Kristofer’s quest, it becomes an everlasting grip upon the heartfelt struggles of life.   

As Kristofer travels to England and Japan, it becomes an emotional reflection upon choices of the past.  With each encounter of different individuals (old friends and random strangers), conversations drive the levity of memories.  Each situation pushes the journey into a thematic appeal of humility, creating meaningful moments for a genuine connection.  This delicate balance builds towards a final act that redefines the meaning of a love story.  Touch is a film that provides a journey of human worth in life.  If you are a fan of character driven tales, romance films or something that goes beyond, this is one for you.  I believe this to be one of the best films of the year (so far), a masterpiece in filmmaking. 

Full Score – 5 out of 5 (Legendary)