Grand Tour (by Miguel Gomes) takes its viewer on a two hour and eight minute journey through former British colonies in 1917 in Asia, narrating a heart-wrenching love story. We follow Edward (Gonçalo Waddington) as he flees from his fiancé Molly (Crista Alfaiate). 

Their story unfolds in two chapters. First we follow Edward, as he leaves Great Britain to go to Singapore. His sadness and confusion is shown through his derailing journey, where he meets new people and improvises his next moves to get away from Molly. Though he never looks stressed, his expression is filled with dread as he misses Molly and knows she will eventually catch up to him. His mannerisms and interactions with the people around him make us almost root for him to escape and be happy. 

That is until we meet Molly, a little over the half-way mark of the film. From her very first scene we know exactly who she is: a determined, brave woman who is on a mission to reclaim her husband-to-be. Her energy almost makes the viewer forget about Edward’s troubles and cheer for her instead. 

Besides the central love story, we also get to enjoy the beautiful Asian culture, as we move through Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. With every move, there is a change in scenery and a change in language, making it effortless to follow along even if the viewer is not familiar with Asian cultures. The film never overwhelms with its epic journey, as its grandeur is balanced out by a steady pace. Furthermore, this grand adventure feels very intimate, courtesy of small sets and tight shots, making the film an enjoyable visual experience. 

During the course of the film, scenes alternate between the fictional story and documentary-style shots, as well as colored and black-and-white scenes. These alterations may take a bit of time to digest as a viewer, but enhance the depth of the story, commenting on the termination of the British colonies in the 20th century (shown metaphorically by the fictional story) and its repercussions in the 21st century (shown by the documentary shots). A particularly interesting decision from Gomes was the inclusion of puppet scenes, which draw parallels to the fictional story and serve as a welcome reminder to simply enjoy the experience.

Overall, this film may not be for everyone, it can move slowly at times and almost resembles a fever dream. Though if you like to just sit back and go along for the ride, this movie is the perfect adventure, which is worth checking out for the cinematography alone. 

Written by Julia Kamphuis