When resignation becomes early maturity
In youth, everyone must once leave the embrace of their parents to "step into life" for themselves. It is not only a spatial shift, but a journey of transformation full of precariousness, disorientation and sometimes soaked in tears.
The movie "Steps into Life" (currently broadcast on VTV3) attracts the attention of a large audience not only because of the talented cast or the close story, but also because it has touched the common concern of many modern families: Children grow up decently in love and protection, suddenly one day thrown into a storm.
Audiences cannot help but feel sorry for the image of Thuong (played by Quynh Kool), the eldest sister who is only 24 years old but whose face is always marked by the worry of a mother. The event of losing her parents forced Thuong to become an involuntary family pillar when she herself did not yet have a stable job. Thuong's sacrifice is a familiar image of older brothers and sisters in Vietnamese families.
They are willing to put aside their youth, postpone personal happiness to shoulder responsibilities. However, that excessive embrace easily pushes young people into a state of energy exhaustion, depression and losing themselves.
Young people amidst aspirations and reality
The pain of losing parents is expressed in a different and more edgy way in the two younger siblings. The lack of family background is more clearly revealed through the way Trang and Minh struggle to make a living.
Trang (played by Ngoc Thuy), a sharp, beautiful younger sister, is always uneasy with poverty in her hometown. The character Trang is a very realistic slice of a part of young people who desire to change their lives quickly. Beautiful but lacking life experience, Trang finds ways to approach wealthy men, considering it a "shortcut" to step into the upper class.
The story truthfully reflects the invisible pressures from modern social networks, where glamorous illusions and "floor-sized" lifestyles make many young girls fall into material pitfalls, forgetting the value of self-effort.
Meanwhile, Minh (played by Son Lam), the youngest of 17 years old, shows the impulsiveness and rebellion of puberty without parental education. Minh wants to prove that he is not a burden, but the more he tries to make a living, the more mistakes he makes that affect his older sisters.
Minh's efforts to struggle to become an adult, due to the lack of proper guidance from his family, have turned into mistakes that hurt him and those who love him the most.
The too big shadow of Minh's maturity is also the pressure that many young people are facing today. In reality, many young people, due to the lack of guidance from their families, have chosen to rush into life with a hot head and a heart yearning for recognition.
Their independence, like Minh's, is often instinctive and lacks self-defense. Without a strong enough spiritual "anchor" from parents, every stumble in life can become a fatal fall.
After countless stumbles and pitfalls outside, the core message that "Stepping into Life" conveys is still the strength of family affection. Family is forever a solid support, the most tolerant place for young people to return to shelter after injuries.
