The Tailor () is a 2017 Vietnamese 35mm drama film directed by Trần Bửu Lộc and Nguyễn Lê Phương Khanh. It is loosely based on a script by A Type Machine, and starrs Ninh Dương Lan Ngọc, Hong Van, Diem My, Ngo Thanh Van, Diem My 9x, S.T (365 The Band), Oanh Kieu, Tung Leo, Kaylee, Hai Trieu, Thanh Tu and Thuy Vy. The theme of the movie is to embrace the beauty of Ao Dai, a traditional costume of Viet Nam
The movie was internationally released at 22nd Busan International Film Festival on October 14, 2017 in Korea, before the official release in Vietnam on November 10, 2017. After 1 month, the movie earned more than 60 billion VND in theatrical revenues. At 20th Vietnam Film Festival, The Tailor won two awards, including an award from the judge. It was selected as the Vietnamese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.
Plot
The re-enactment of a áo dài era in the 1960s is thought to be the heyday of traditional Vietnamese costumes. Interwoven into that transformation in the style and style of the áo dài in modern times are told through the story of Miss Ba. Audiences will also see somewhere the image of the 1960s–70s full of honest women. An image of Saigon in the past, gentle and steeped in contrast to the rush of a dynamic city will be described by fashion, namely áo dài. All of them are cleverly nested in the story between two families, between mothers and their children, between a tailor and a fabric shop filled with dramatic rage.
Main plot
In 1969, the tailor house Thanh Nu is considered to be the most famous tailor house in Saigon. Nine generations of the family have spent their entire life tailoring ao dai. The owner who is Thanh Mai has two daughters: Nhu Y who is her biological daughter and Thanh Loan who was adopted. Thanh Loan enjoys tailoring ao dai while Nhu Y prefers designing Westernized outfits, since she claims ao dai is old-fashioned and doesn't have variety of designs. Thanh Mai advises Nhu Y to focus on learning how to make ao dai but she neglects, because she only likes Western style. One day, Thanh Mai uses a unique piece of fabric passed down from her ancestor, to make a beautiful ao dai. Nhu Y sees it (due to her name is embroidered on that ao dai) and decides to try it on. Strange thing happens as soon as she tries it, the piece of jade sends her to the year of 2017.
Nhu Y falls on An Khanh (as Nhu Y in 2017) as she is about to attempt suicide, causing the piece of jade to detach from the ao dai. Nhu Y is shocked to know that the tailor house Thanh Nu has been closed and barely believes that An Khanh is her in the future, and how Saigon has become greatly modernized. Her house is empty and quiet. It's revealed that after Thanh Mai had died, Thanh Loan was told to leave the house by An Khanh so An Khanh could open a Western tailor house, however the business failed shortly afterward. This causes An Khanh to become an alcoholic. Thanh Loan opened her own business mainly focusing on tailoring ao dai, she later has two kids: Helen and Tuan. Helen is a famous fashion designer while Tuan is working at Helen's company.
Helen agrees to help An Khanh keep the house, however Nhu Y must work for her in exchange. Nhu Y works as a cleaner while Tuan helps her adapt to modern life. The company needs some 1960s inspired designs which is An Khanh's specialty so she helps Helen. Being impressed by Nhu Y's talent, Helen assigns her to ao dai designing. This is her big challenge since she has always hated ao dai and doesn't know how to do that. At the same time, she would like to tailor ao dai following Thanh Nu's traditional way, which will help Thanh Nu regain its reputation.
An Khanh meets Thanh Loan in order to apologize and ask Thanh Loan how to tailor ao dai properly. Later, Thanh Loan gives An Khanh an envelope which is the letter from Thanh Mai attaching ao dai tailoring method. An Khanh and Nhu Y together practice on how to make ao dai.
In the fashion event, model Trang Ngo and many models wear Nhu Y's collection on the catwalk. While the show is going on, Helen intends to switch Nhu Y as the designer into her name in the script, however Tuan catches and confronts her to carefully consider about her decision. Finally, the show is a success as Nhu Y expresses her thought on the collection, sends her thank to Helen. Right after that, the tailor house Thanh Nu is reopened.
Nhu Y wears the ao dai with the piece of jade attached, the magical jade sends her back to 1969. She meets her mom again and apologizes her, saying she's knows how to make ao dai. Both of them joyfully dance together.