Architect A – A Lovely Ache

• Titles: Architect A
• Genre: Surreal, drama
• Length: 25 minutes
• Writer/director :  Lee Jonghoon

Architect A is not an architect, he is a handyman. A pretty good one. He’s skilled at a variety of things and enjoys helping people so it’s easy for him to enjoy every day. He can always go out with his dog Hayo and find something to do. But one day, an old woman comes knocking on his door looking for the famous architect who can design houses made out of people’s dreams and memories. And even though Architect A may not be an architect anymore, somehow this lady awakens his own memories and inspires him t go back to what he really loved. But memories can be painful just as they are lovely. And after a while, you can see how they can be both at the same time.

This might be a first for me, I don’t think I have ever reviewed a Korean animation on this blog before. I’m not entirely sure I have watched done. But I do really love Korean cinema so I figured it was a safe bet!

Production

Here’s the thing, Architect A has a really great premise (if a little vague), and that probably would have convinced me to give this short film a try. However, it didn’t get to that because the art had already completely sold me.

It is far from what you would think of as traditional anime visuals but the simple yet emotional character designs paired with the bold flat colours just feels comforting. There’s a nostalgia that comes through in those images. A sort of sincerity that is conveyed by the simple lines and comes to really enhance the message of the film.

It is quite nice to look at and I remember sinking down into my seat and just enjoying the gentle feeling of the images washing over me. Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder so it may not be to everyone’s liking but at the very least Architect A had some striking visuals, great art consistency and very good framing. Also, Hayo is super cute, so there’s that!

Story & Characters

Here’s the thing, Architect A is a short film. The entire thing is only about 25 minutes. So I don’t want to go into the story too much because I’m likely to just give everything away. Don’t get me wrong, you can totally know exactly what happens in Architect A and still completely enjoy it. It’s that type of story that’s not so much about what happens as it is about the meaning and feelings being conveyed. And those don’t need to be surprising to be touching.

However, it’s also a lovely little story about love and loss, guilt and forgiveness, that I want to encourage as many people as possible to see. Because I think it deserves the attention!

In practice, Architect A is a two-man show. Architect A the unnamed architect in question is the main character and most of what happens is shown through his eyes. He is an everyman type if a little idealized. You know, a little more patient, kinder. More understanding than most folks. A lot of his personal story is left vague on purpose and is revealed in surreal or vague imagery throughout the movie. The character development is mostly felt rather than actually illustrated but I think it worked really well for this particular film.

The second character is the old woman seeking his help as an architect. She is a much more straightforward character and you get a better sense of who she is although her characterization may also come off as a bit shallow when you really think about it. Once again, she is more of an evocative story device than a complete character and once again, it works within this particular tale.

Man, this is tough to describe. And the thing is, it’s not the type of story I usually care for…Ok well never mind, it’s kinda Natsume.

Let me try this again, Architect A is a slightly surreal emotional tale about letting go of pain, or maybe about embracing it as an integral part of the joy and beauty of life. And I’m not being hyperbolic here. That really is what the message of the film is about and it’s how I felt after watching it.

To some of you, it may sound like just so much emotional drivel and for those folks, Architect A might be a slog to sit through. Even at 25 minutes. Although it might still be worth it for Hayo! But if it sounds remotely like something you might enjoy then I urge you to watch it if you get the chance. It’s a well-made and emotionally resonant short film that avoids getting pretentious or preachy.  

The only drawback is the if you can find it part. You may have noticed that I have suspiciously few screencaps of Architect A. That’s because I saw it at a movie festival and couldn’t take any. Or any notes for a drinking game but maybe you shouldn’t be drinking through this one… I don’t know if it will ever get wide international distribution and if it does, I doubt it will have a huge budget for promotion. So all  I can say is that if you see the mention of a Korean animation called Architect A, you should try to see it. It was lovely!

You might like this anime if:

My favourite character:

Suggested drink: