
This is the type of banal cliche phrase that the majority of those who suffer the negative consequences of a parting are bound to prolong, and under the explanation, these sentiments can the way quite shallow or even very profound. All That We Love, however, does so with consummate ease. What seems on a first analytical view to be a mushy on paper, is in fact a heartfelt piece that explores many types of reverberated love that lingers around as a subtext.
In the first episode, Emma sings to her dog Tanner, but while she holds him during the final moments of his life, her voice gets more and more hoarse. But although Tanner is the most acute loss during her lifetime, she has experienced more losses. Maggie is Tanner’s girlfriend with Kenneth Choi, who was the first to live away from her for the very first time. Emma also is acquainted with Kelly, who stays with her daughter Alice Lee who is to travel to Australia for 5 weeks. However, it is actually for five months, which makes her think that all of a sudden the nest is empty. And while that is happening, her ex-husband Andy who is Kenneth Choi is now starting to pop up in her life as if he had ground for rotation after so many years of missing her so now she has to deal with all the emotional mess he caused.
Yen Tan has succeeded in adequately sketching an absence where Tanner is concerned but a voice for Tanner is nowhere to be found in this movie. The absence of an adored Tanner is a fair representation of a scene using an empty pet’s pillow or a dog’s bowl garnished with food. Rather nap or eat a bowl of dinner. On the other hand, the character’s rich warmth is characterized by being within the frame with Tanner. All That We Love is a tinge more realistic than the fantasy where Tanner is shown rambling in search of a rainbow bridge. He was ninth when Tanner’s gaze but now when the magic witching hour bathed Emma’s figure in its soft light Tanner’s Love and Tanner’s vision encircled her. In this case there is no room for doubt.
Tan’s narration is accompanied by a story that includes some bizarre aspects that appear too ordinary to be fictional. For instance, it is Tan himself who co-wrote the movie script with Clay Liford, who lost his dog named Tanner, to an emotional setback. There are also deeply disturbing scenes: Andy’s departure affected Emma very much as she recalls how a young Maggie became so excited about a shampoo commercial that she was convinced that he appeared in it “She became paranoid afterward and such things made it absolutely impossible for me not to hate you,” Emma tells him now.
There are also some elements in Tan’s note that border on the tragicomic: disaster mingling with optimism. Remember when Emma gets into an accident after adopting a new dog? No, I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the moment when Kayla gets scolded for suggesting that her voice might be the issue during the outburst: “What do you mean, quote, people think I sound like shit?!” she shouts.
Nonetheless, this film has serious growth problems regarding a few cast members alongside Emma–and this is where all that positivity my opinion comes from. For example, we meet Emma’s ex-sister-in-law Raven, a folk mukbang YouTuber with the face of the ugly funny actress Atsuko Okatsuka. Emma is shown a video of a topper where it is depicted that a noodle is being snorted through the nose. Alas, from the very first time we see Raven, she gets lost further back as a shine emerges. By the second time she appears, OH, half of us were already even starting to think who she is. While it is probably true that Emma nor the movie rushes in delving into explaining every affecting circumstance surrounding around Maggie’s career as an illustrator who has ever lived, neither Stan nor his first romantic lover and then wife who passed away is explained fully. There are even so few such explanations in Emma’s universe too which is why it all seems very exclusive to most people.
What All That We Love can comprehend, however, is the sense of bonding that these individuals share as one. That closeness explains why Emma and Andy, for instance, are able to fall back into the old rhythm of things soon after the heat of their arguments. Or, the fact that Maggie does not flinch or question the fight between Emma and Stan, having observed her mother and her godfather exchanging blows such a million times past. What sets the scenario apart this time is the fact that Maggie knows what the fight is about. The fight is about Emma speaking with Andy. “He abandoned us, we moved forward. If you ask me, I’d rather move ahead,” she yells at her mother. However, the tone in which Maggie screams tells us otherwise. That lingering sense of betrayal or fury remains within her and it is apparent it always will. For better and for worse, these too are only certain elements that she possesses.
The last time I saw Tanner was almost 3 years back, which also means I have not seen my beloved tuxedo cat Roger for 3 years. Although it did take me some time, I have been able to come to terms with Tanner’s passing. I don’t cry whenever I find an old toy of his and I no longer stay up at night wondering what our last moments together were like. Admittedly, there are times when I want to view the countless pictures I have of him, but I luckily find myself in a position where I don’t want to view them. However, a time does come when the perfect set of situations occurs, and I’m not able to hold back this emotion triggered by the beautiful and heartfelt show All We Love.
For more movies like All That We Love visit 123movies.