The Night Before Blossom – Movie Review & Film Summary

It's the night before Tet, one of Vietnam's biggest holidays. Everyone is counting down to the Lunar New Year with excitement. While the city is buzzing with celebration, Trong can barely enjoy any of it. His business has been struggling, so he can't afford to give his staff a Tet bonus this year. He even had to lay off a few employees. So yeah, this isn't exactly the most joyful season of his life.

Trong comes home after a depressing trip to the bank, doing his best to look normal in front of Hoang. They have been living together for years, so you'd think he could open up. Instead, he keeps the stress to himself and forces a smile. Hoang is in a great mood. His parents have sent a care package from back home, packed with food and snacks. There's way more than he expected. Suddenly, the energy has lifted. The couple gets excited about having a proper Tet feast.

While Trong cooks, Hoang calls his mum to thank her for the care package. Their conversation is easy and affectionate, the kind that makes it obvious they're close. She even asks about Trong and jokes that Hoang better not bully him. Hoang fires back with playful sarcasm, and she scolds him for not coming home for Tet. He reminds her that they visited last year, so this time they should spend the holiday with Trong's family instead. The second his family is mentioned, Trong's expression shifts. He looks sadder than before.

Trong and Hoang have a really sweet Tet together. They clean the apartment and hang up decorations. Then they head out to shop. They eat well, wander around, and visit temples like everyone else. It's an eventful day of festivities for the two of them. That night, they sit outside and watch the stars. The mood is intimate. Then, Trong's phone rings. It's his dad, who hasn't reached out in a long time. Trong freezes for a second, unsure what to do. Hoang gently tells him to answer. After a brief hesitation, Trong finally picks up the call…

The Night Before Blossom comes from O2 Production, one of the long-running Vietnamese BL studios. Lately, they've faced financial troubles, kinda like the main character in this story. Being an indie filmmaker isn't for the weak. Funding dries up… Investors disappear… I'm rooting for them to secure the money and come back stronger. For now, the production team must work with a tight budget and a smaller crew. That means scaling down their operations. Those 20-episode dramas? Gone. We're in our 20-minute short movie era now.

Not gonna lie, the start of this movie was pretty boring. For some odd reason, we spend the first few minutes watching Trong and Hoang unpack a box of food. Eggs. Rice. A whole watermelon. Wait, are those onions!? Oh wow, no way! It felt like I was getting the play-by-play at the supermarket checkout. Why are we wasting precious screen time on this? It's a short movie! Every minute counts! This scene doesn't tell us anything meaningful about the characters or reveal much about their dynamic. Surely there's a better way to introduce the story than two guys unboxing kitchen ingredients???

Next, Hoang is on the phone with his mom. This scene works better because we can pick up on little details from their chat. Mom knows her son has a boyfriend, and she seems chill about it. Hoang even brought Trong home to see his parents last year. Look at them being all healthy and well-adjusted! But there's a grimace on Hoang's face when family comes up. It's bothering him a bit. I like these subtle contextual clues that tell us more about the characters. That said, it's just an ordinary phone call. The dialogue isn't exactly riveting, so I'm still kinda bored.

By this point, we're halfway through the movie. The story seems uneventful so far. Thankfully, the couple heads out to do holiday activities around town. They're smiling… The scenery looks gorgeous… And we get some nice glimpses of Vietnamese culture. Okay, here we go! The vibe is improving! But then, the movie shoves everything into a montage. I don't want a speed run through their date. Give me actual scenes with proper dialogue. Let's see them flirt while buying flowers or argue over which snacks to get. Don't just flash a bunch of pretty shots at me like a slideshow!

In my head, I had started typing a negative review of The Night Before Blossom. I was ready. The draft was forming. But then, the movie redeems itself with the final stretch. Trong suddenly gets a phone call from his dad. We have no idea what to expect. Will Dad say something sweet, or will he crush his son's soul? Turns out, it goes the heartwarming route. Dad comes through! His message is simple yet meaningful. And the best part is seeing the relief in Trong's face. It's subtle, but his expression changes just enough. You can tell he seems happier than before.

My favourite part is those last few minutes. Hoang does something ridiculously sweet for his boyfriend, making my heart go all mushy. Is it sappy? Yeah, probably. But you know what? I'm a sucker for it anyway. I'm genuinely happy for them! Overall, the movie is still a bit lacklustre. The plot didn't hook me until we were basically at the finish line. With that said, it finishes well and wraps up everything neatly. The Night Before Blossom might not blow my mind, but it delivers a sweet film with a positive message. It's a nice entry in O2 Production's growing collection of love stories.