Thai comedy-drama film "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" blends family drama, humor, and heartstring-tugging sentiment resulting in a prize-winning tearjerker. The storyline revolves around a lazy young man who abandons his mediocre gaming career to care for his terminally ill grandmother.
This endearing and popular film marks the debut of Thai moviemaker Pat Boonnitipat, setting various box office records within Thailand and across Southeast Asia. The dynamic cast, which includes well-known actor and pop singer Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul and 78-year-old Usha “Taew” Seamkhum, brings to life the film's crucial lesson of valuing our loved ones while there's still time.
In a unique twist, the movie opens and concludes in a graveyard - where we're introduced to the strong-willed title character, Grandma. A Thai woman of Chinese lineage, she's leading her extended family in Qingming celebrations honoring her parents’ grave. When an accident sends Grandma to the hospital, it's discovered that she has terminal Stage 4 cancer.
Amidst family quarrels about what to tell her, M (Assaratanakul), the frivolous son of one of Grandma’s daughters, agrees to look after his grandmother, hoping to inherit her property. Despite his initial selfish motives, M begins to appreciate and respect his grandmother. As he continues caring for her, he starts to see the sacrifices his overworked single mother has had to make and notes the disregard of his uncles.
Alongside this narrative, the filmmaker and co-writer Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn incorporate discussions about gender roles in Thai society. The family drama takes a fresh twist when the Grandma's health takes a nosedive and family clashes escalate over the prospective inheritance. The film concludes with a passionate performance by Assaratanakul who showcases his singing skills in Cantonese.
The film's allure is undeniably tied to Seamkhum, a fiery, realistic grandma who avoids sentimentalism. The remaining flaw is a subplot involving M’s attractive cousin Mui, which, if better developed would bolster the main theme and streamline the film. Although the film doesn't visually depict Bangkok as a bustling city, it beautifully captures the quaint neighborhoods whose charm, associated with Grandma's generation, will be forever missed.
