THE HALF OF IT 

US, 2020, 104 minutes, Colour.

Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Wolfgang Novogratz, Collin Chou, Betty Ann Baker.

Directed by Alice Wu.

This is a very sympathetic coming-of-age story, with a special emphasis on same-sex orientation, this theme also being explored very sympathetically and not sensationally in any way.

At the centre is Ellie, a persuasive performance by Leah Lewis, her talented father, migrant, only able to get work in the United States managing a small railway station in a remote town, his daughter helping him with the work. She is a loner. However, she is very intelligent, and audiences discover that she has been writing the assignments for many of her class, even though the despise and bully her. The teacher knows this and encourages her for further studies.

Then the film becomes something of a cleverly updated variation on Cyrano de Bergerac. Her neighbour, Paul (Daniel Diemer) is in the diner run by his mother with her own special recipe for sausage. Paul has ambitions to develop sausages in his own style. Paul is infatuated with a girl at school, Aster(Alexxis emire). She is the daughter of the local Deacon. And, everybody expect her to marry the local Jock, Trig.

Paul approaches Ellie who then provides him with speeches and conversation points for meetings with Aster, also controlling his phone calls which leads to all kinds of mixups.

Paul eventually comes to realise his awkwardness in the situations, despite all of Ellie’s help, also feels attraction towards her – with the ultimate realisation of her love for Aster, speeches in the church urging the congregation to sympathy, Paul discovering that Ellie has sent his recipes to authorities for promoting them.

The film does not end with everything neatly organised. In fact, audiences would probably like to know more about the characters and what happens to them and their future lives.

1. The title, the introductory explanations, Plato’s theme, the image of the person, the two halves, the separation, the search? The serious elements from Greek philosophy? And the screenplay suggesting undermining in contemporary US? The range of quotes, even from Ellie?
2. The story of older teenagers? Different family backgrounds? Migrants to the US? Local families? School backgrounds? Church backgrounds? Job opportunities?
3. The name of the town, its tone, middle America, the entry sign, the road? Homes, the railway station, diners, school, church, the choir, music courses and performances? Religious services, the Deacon and his preaching, the off-remarks of the priest?
4. Ellie’s story, the performance and presence of Leah Lewis, age, reticent, intelligent, riding her bike, mocked by the students, chugging, yet her writing their assignments? Her music? The attraction to Aster? At home, with her father? The background, coming to the US, his qualifications, but not speaking English will, his work at the railway station, her helping? His watching the television, sad at the death of his wife, the “best parts” in the movies, Casablanca ending? The meals, the Chinese style? Adapting to the US?
5. Ellie, her relationship with the teacher, the teacher with a touch of the cynical, knowing the essays were written by her, her discussions, hopes for Ellie? Observing? Enjoying the outcomes?
6. Paul, tall, a touch awkward, the sequences with his large squabbling family, his attraction to Aster? Approaching Ellie to write a letter? Her reaction? Need for money for the house? Accepting? The first letter?
7. Aster, her place in the school, quiet, attractive, Trig and his presumptions, with her, the expectations of marriage? The painting? The discussion about important strokes? And sequence with the graffiti on the wall and she and Ellie painting? The later painting of the flower and giving it to Paul? Her ambitions further studies? But caught in Trig’s presumptions?
8. The variation on Cyrano de Bergerac? The voice of Paul, the words of Ellie?
9. The development of the letters, the texts, the text names, references to books, The Remains of the Day, philosophy, ideas? Paul out of his depth? The awkward meetings, the confessional, the priest bewildered, the conversations? Ellie watching, coaching? The changing contents of the letters? Ellie’s outpourings to Aster?
10. The bonding between Ellie and Paul, friendship, her control of him?
11. Trig, at school, the extrovert, presumptions, the musical performance, self-centred? Thinking that Ellie was attracted to him? And the proposal for Aster?
12. Ellie, the party, the drinking, Paul taking her home, at the house, the kiss, Aster misunderstanding?
13. The comic touches with the misunderstandings, Ellie and the contents of her letters, too much for Paul, yet his trying with his reading?
14. Paul, his ability to cook, the recipes, his mother’s traditions, the work with Ellie’s father, bonding? His future?
15. The revelation, the effect on Aster, on Ellie, Aster going to art school, Ellie going to college, Paul staying with his cooking?
16. A quiet film about same-six attraction, a pleasing and respectful attitude towards the subtleties in such potential relationships?