In the race to meet deadlines, workaholic freelance graphic designer Yoon would do anything including skipping sleep for four days, work while attending a close friend’s father’s funeral, and miss out on hangouts with his friends. Because of this, a strange rash appears on his body, leading him to a doctor he unexpectedly falls for.
The take
Heart Attack is a romantic comedy, but instead of the hijinks being caused by the usual dating, miscommunication, and wooing, Yoon’s struggle here is to finally get a hold of his overbearing schedule and figure out how to relax and recover from burnout, and it’s all inspired by wanting to impress his doctor Imm. It’s funny, but it’s also all too real. Writer-director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit recreates the overwhelming frenzy to complete a job through a magnificent jazz soundscape and Sunny Suwanmethanon’s internalized monologue, and it’s such an effective cinematic translation that the moments of rest, the moments where Yoon and Imm finally take a break feels like a relief. Heart Attack works precisely because it empathizes and understands the experience of workers in today’s gig economy.
What stands out
I love that love here isn’t expressed through the most dramatic and tragic of gestures, but rather through the short and sweet check-ups. It’s such a sweet way to encourage people to take care of themselves.