The relationship that people have with their parents evolves over time. What eventually becomes rebellion can swiftly turn into understanding. While we don’t have to like the choices that our parents may have made, peace can be found in understanding why they made the decisions that they did. Elisee Junior St Preux, in his viewpoint altering, downright GORGEOUS film, ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes,’ shines a light on that relationship and how people deal with the trauma that comes from it. Simply put, this film is brilliant. Not only did it provide me with a new perspective on my relationship with my own parents, it provided me a new perspective on the beauty and soul of Haiti. ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes’ will change you and I assure you, you want to be changed.
Ruben has been away from Haiti for quite some time, leaving behind a strained relationship with his father. Returning home upon receiving news that his father is dying, Ruben begins a journey across Haiti headed home, searching for himself, and finding that self in a young boy he befriends along the way. ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes’ is a love letter to film making. A beautiful symphony of culture, soul searching, and rewired notions, ‘Tropic Sun’ is destined for an Oscar nomination next awards season.
The Soul of Haiti
The soul of the film is the historically misrepresented nation of Haiti. The beauty of Haiti and it’s people provides the perfect setting for Ruben to be in search of himself. As Ruben travels across Haiti, the audience is inundated with one of the most culturally rich and gorgeous nations on the planet. The film helps to rewire the audiences brains, who have been fed decades of misinformation about Haiti. ‘The Tropic Sun’ is a love letter to the nation that birthed it.
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The American media seems to only pay attention to Haiti when it’s at it’s most vulnerable. Rarely do we get a look at the gorgeous and lush forrests and extraordinary people. ‘The Tropic Sun’ provides that eye opening look. As Ruben finds himself, the audience finds itself rethinking how they see the tropic nation. Haiti as a nation has a rich history that is often forgotten and minimalized. ‘The Tropic Sun’ puts it on display for all of the world to see while tackling complex subject matters like mental health and the relationships that exist between parent and child.
Through the Eyes of the Young
The heart of ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes,’ of course, is it’s young cast led by the exceptionally talented Stevenson Jean. Jean plays Ruben with a beautiful introspection, digging deep into who Ruben is, his trauma, and his relationship with his father. Ruben’s story is one that many experience. Our parents exist as enigmas in our lives. They’re our first loves and our first traumas. Jean battles with this in an complex, but nuanced way. He’s never shy to be vulnerable. Jean’s performance was magnificence in it’s purest form.
Joining Jean is the vibrant, young Blangue Machiny. Machiny showed range far beyond his years. His performance was moving and funny, bouncing between the two from moment to moment. Showing his age in the right ways, Blangue provides the perfect son to Jean’s father figure. Machiny provides clarity and perspective to the brooding Ruben in a way that changes his perspective on who he is and who his father is. I truly hope we see more of Machiny.
Final Thoughts:
Elisse Junior St Preux has provided one of this decade’s true masterpieces with his film, ‘The Tropic Sun and His Eyes.’ The film is beautifully cathartic, providing a narative that audiences are going to connect with on a deeply intimate level. ‘Tropic Sun’ needs to be the next film you see.
