Rent Blissfully Yours (2002)

Stillness, Skin and the Sound of Insects - Blissfully Yours review by griggs

Blissfully Yours is a languid, quietly daring film that drifts between realism and reverie. Apichatpong Weerasethakul structures it in two acts: the first grounded in the sterile routines of marginal life, the second slipping into a dreamlike jungle interlude where time and logic begin to dissolve. The appearance of the title card almost halfway through marks a shift—not just in tone, but in purpose.

The story is minimal: a Burmese migrant, his Thai girlfriend, and an older woman each seeking escape from their own constraints. The plot takes a back seat to mood and sensation. Sunlight on skin, the buzz of insects, a casual touch—these become the film’s true narrative beats. Themes of exile, identity, and impermanence simmer beneath the still surface, as Apichatpong reflects on borders—literal and emotional.

This is a film about fleeting freedoms: of the body, of movement, of joy. It doesn’t offer answers—just space to feel, and maybe drift a little yourself.