There are definite echoes of Parasite and Saltburn in Lin Jianjie's entrancing directorial debut – the idea of an enigmatic outside insinuating himself into a wealthy family is familiar ground by now. But where those films present a heightened reality, Brief History of a Family is more subtle and elusive, and all the more unnerving for this.
Set in modern-day China, the film follows Shuo (Xilun Shun), an introverted schoolboy who befriends the more outgoing Tu Wei (Muran Lin) after an accident at school. Wei's parents – a former flight attendant (Guo Keyu) and a scientist (Zu Feng) – take a liking to Shuo, charmed by his bookish demeanour and love of classical music, as opposed to Wei, who defiantly pursues fencing despite his father's disapproval. When fate takes a tragic turn, Shuo spends more time with the family, and his continued presence begins to rankle with Wei.
Where Lin's approach to this material subverts expectations is in the ambiguous portrayal of Shuo. Lin never definitively establishes whether Shuo is a master manipulator trying to supplant Wei, or simply a traumatised 15 year old. We also never meet his alcoholic, violent father, and only hear of his abuse second-hand. However we never witness Shuo doing anything overtly sinister either – aside from one disturbing encounter with a fish, in a scene loaded with symbolism.
Shun's enigmatic performance ensures that Shuo remains a figure of quiet, unknowable menace, but Shun also imbues him with a tangible melancholy that creates conflicting emotions at the film's conclusion. Muran Lin is equally impressive, capturing Wei's shifting attitudes beautifully – from relief as the weight of his parents' expectations is transferred, to fear of being displaced, and the much more ambiguous emotions conveyed in that quietly devastating final shot (an early contender for best of the year).
Another interesting detail is in the characterisation of Wei's parents. You might expect them to be the usual guileless family, unaware of the potential viper in their nest. But Lin's approach is more unsettling, almost making the parents complicit. Their attachment to Shuo is rooted in the lingering effects of China's one-child policy, which denied them the opportunity of a sibling for Wei. They clearly see Shuo as a second chance, but fail to recognize that rather than a brother, they have inadvertently introduced a replacement into their home – one far more aligned with their own values.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, Lin's use of restraint is precisely what makes Brief History of a Family so disquieting. The tension between the two boys is palpable, but the film's most suspenseful moment centres on the silent switching on and off of a lamp. It's a supremely gripping sequence, charged with an unbearable tension. Another scene, involving a tiny fish bone, is especially disturbing for the natural, clinical way it's depicted. It's superficially a perfectly innocent accident, but the sinister implications are clear, and the whole sequence brims with an ominous dread.
Lin's thoughtful direction is complemented by Toke Brorson Odin's electronic, Trent Reznor-esque score and Jiahao Zhang's stark cinematography. The precise shot composition is particularly striking, making suggestive use of symmetrical framing and reflections, and several iris shots containing the family, giving the distinct impression they are constantly being watched, creating a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere.
Brief History of a Family is a wonderfully assured debut, it's quiet melancholy undercut by a creeping dread. It's the definition of a slow burn, with little in the way of resolutions, but the result is a masterful family drama that leaves the audience with a haunting, lingering sense of unease that will be with you days later.
Brief History Of A Family is in cinemas from 21st March
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