| How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies | |
| Director: | Pat Boonnitipat |
| Music: | Jaithep Raroengjai |
| Cinematography: | Boonyanuch Kraithong |
| Editing: | Thammarat Sumethsupachok |
| Production Companies: | Jor Kwang Films |
| Distributor: | GDH |
| Runtime: | 125 minutes |
| Country: | Thailand |
| Gross: | $50 million[1] |
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, known in Thai as Lahn Mah, is a 2024 Thai comedy-drama film directed by Pat Boonnitipat and co-written by Pat and Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn. It stars Putthipong "Billkin" Assaratanakul and Usha "Taew" Seamkhum in their debut feature film roles. In the film, M (Putthipong), a university dropout low on money, volunteers to take care of his terminally ill grandmother Mengju (Usha), in the hope of pocketing an inheritance.
Development on the film began in 2020 after Thodsapon completed the first draft of the screenplay, which underwent several revisions after Pat was hired as director. Putthipong and Usha were hired soon after the screenplay was complete. Principal photography took place in Bangkok, with filming locations including Talat Phlu. Upon release, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies went viral, spurred by a social media trend where viewers posted videos of themselves crying after watching the film.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was released in Thailand on April 4, 2024, by GDH. It has grossed over $50 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Thai film of 2024, the eleventh-highest grossing domestic film of all time, and broke box office records in several countries across Asia. It received praise from critics for its direction, screenplay, acting performances, music, and heavy emotional weight.
Mengju and her adult children Sew, Kiang, and Soei celebrate the Qingming Festival with Sew's son, M, a university dropout and aspiring video game streamer. She tells her family she wants to be buried on a big plot when she dies, which costs millions to purchase. After receiving hospital treatment for a fall, Mengju is diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer; her family decides to keep the diagnosis hidden from her. After M's wealthy paternal grandfather dies, most of his estate is left to his primary carer, Mui, M's cousin and an online sex worker. M then volunteers to become Mengju's carer, hoping to inherit her estate.
Before moving in, M lists Mengju's Talat Phlu house for sale. He initially struggles to curry favour with her, finding her demanding and unfiltered, and questions the morality of his decision but is convinced by Mui to continue. M tells Mengju of her diagnosis, and she begins to become more receptive to his care. M also assumes Mengju's job as a street congee vendor. During a weekly family gathering (which Kiang's wife, Pinn, their daughter, Rainbow, and M attend for the first time), Mengju tells her family that M informed of her cancer. All of Mengju's children suddenly suggest methods to help care for her, which raises M's suspicions about their motives. Afterward, M increases his efforts as her primary carer.
Kiang, a wealthy stockbroker, arranges for Mengju to live with him and his family. Kiang offers to pay M to care for Mengju, but he declines the money. Mengju and the rest travel to the Golden Mount at Wat Saket. By reading their prayer cards, M finds that Mengju has prayed for her entire family and that Kiang and his family have only prayed for themselves; M is the only one who prayed for Mengju, for her to "win the lottery". Mengju declines to move in with Kiang, and she grows closer to M.
Mengju finds out Soei stole ฿200,000 hidden in her kitchen to help cover his ฿1 million gambling debt. After confronting Soei, M gives him a pure silver belt he inherited from his paternal grandfather to help him pay off his debt. M lies about meeting Soei, telling Mengju that Soei is "out of town on work". After the doorbell rings, Mengju assumes Soei's creditors have found her house: she instructs M to hide and answers the door. It is instead a respondent to M's sale listing of Mengju's house, whom she turns away.
Mengju takes M to meet her brother, who inherited millions upon the passing of their parents, and asks for money to purchase the plot. Her brother refuses and it is revealed that Mengju was their parents' carer until they died. Mengju tells M she wants a large burial plot, hoping it will bring her family together as they visit her gravesite. After Mengju's doctors tell M that continuing treatment would be futile, he lies to her and says she will instead receive treatment "based on her symptoms". Kiang asks Sew for the deed to Mengju's house, but she gives it to Soei, per Mengju's wishes. M angrily reacts to this and moves back home.
M learns that Sew, unlike him or Sew's siblings, did not want anything in exchange for caring for Mengju. Mui offers M half of her expected inheritance if he helps care for her dying aunt, but he refuses. Soei sells Mengju's house, fully covering his debts, and moves Mengju to a nursing home. He attempts to repay M, who refuses. M moves Mengju into his home. He also insults Soei and Kiang for their selfishness. After Mengju dies, M receives a call from a bank, which tells him that Mengju put aside money in his name since he was a child after he said he wanted to "buy her a new house". M empties the account and uses the money to buy a big plot for her burial, which everyone attends.
GDH films (including those produced by its wholly owned subsidiary production company Jor Kwang Films) are typically developed by its producers or directors. However, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was the first GDH film to be initiated by a screenwriter – Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, a full-time screenwriter at GDH since 2009. In December 2020, he pitched the project with a 10-page synopsis inspired by his experiences caring for his grandmother during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fallout from her not giving her daughter or caregivers any inheritance upon her death. Producers Vanridee Pongsittisak and Jira Maligool worked with Thodsapon to make an "accessible and entertaining" screenplay compared to the initial treatment, creating a slapstick comedy featuring a grandmother and grandchild.[2]
According to Vanridee, this version of the film, which was titled The Chinese Family, was deemed to have "lost [the] original charm" of Thodsapon's treatment. As such, after Sino-Thai director Pat Boonnitipat was hired, he worked with Thodsapon to adopt a more emotionally-driven narrative. Pat had previously worked with GDH on (2017–2018) and (2020). He incorporated elements from his own life to develop the final screenplay: his maternal grandmother, who helped raise him and with whom he still lives, was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer in 2004.[3] Pat and Thodsapon worked on the screenplay for two years.[4] Pat later stated it took him eight months to learn how to write for film compared to television; How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is his feature film debut.[5]
Pat stated that his grandmother directly opined on the screenplay after he moved back in with her when writing,[6] while the other characters were based on his Cantonese mother’s family, describing the representation in the film is as “exactly the same [as my own family], even the dialogue".[7] The writers revised the screenplay to include themes on contemporary Thai family dynamics,[8] specifically related to western and Asian attitudes regarding extended and nuclear families. Benediktus Yogatama of Kompas argued the film also contained several themes related to financial planning and personal budgeting.[9] Hollywood Insiders Jake Yancey stated How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies explores gender roles, generational divides and similarities, aging, and the Thai-Chinese cultural experience.[10]
Putthipong "Billkin" Assaratanakul was cast in his debut lead film role, alongside acting debutante Usha "Taew" Seamkhum.[11] Putthipong was the producers' first choice but Pat disliked his initial audition: Putthipong was hired following a second audition, after taking a long break from acting to attend acting classes. Pat immediately wanted to hire the 78-year-old Usha after her audition, with his assistant director discovering her through a modelling agency Usha was signed to after taking part in a video for a seniors dance competition in 2019.[12]
Usha was ultimately hired after a recast with Putthipong, with the producers wanting a first-time actor for the role. Putthipong said the film required "detailed and focused acting" compared to his appearances in the television series My Ambulance (2019) and I Told Sunset About You (2021): he had to lose weight and alter his natural walk and speech patterns to portray his character in the film. Putthipong also claimed to have declined numerous other film and TV projects until How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.[13] In an August 2024 interview with The Review Geek, Pat said he catered the screenplay and the character to fit Putthipong. The remaining cast was then rounded out, which included the feature film debut for Tontawan "Tu" Tantivejakul.[14]
Principal photography primarily took place in Talat Phlu, a traditional Chinese community recognized as one of Bangkok's Chinatowns.[15] Filming locations included the Talat Phlu Market and Wat Chantharam Worawihan,[16] both of which became popular visiting locations among fans following the film's release.[17] According to Putthipong, filming lasted for 25 days and was primarily done using a single-camera setup. Boonyanuch Kraithong, the director of photography for How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, used narrow apertures and wide shots to add depth and emphasize the characters' surroundings, constrating contemporary films that use a shallow focus. Pat also instructed to use blocking to achieve this effect, which was inspired by filmmaking techniques present in Thai films from the 1950s until the 1970s.
Pat sought to differentiate the style of How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies to the faster-paced television series he previously worked on, which included reducing the use of music. In a July 2024 interview with Lifestyle Asia, Pat said the filming choices worried GDH executives, who considered them to be too unconventional. Pat aimed to make the film as quick as possible to make sure his maternal grandmother could watch it and for him to return to helping out at his family’s mirror and glass-making business. He also used the reaction of the film's crew to assess its scenes, saying, "the first camera assistant [is] a very cool guy and while he was doing the focus pulling on set, he cried so much [filming a scene] that he couldn't keep his hand on the wheel. That's when I knew [a] scene [would] work so well, because it broke his [emotional] wall".
To accommodate for Usha's age, the crew implemented regular breaks during shooting to allow her to rest. According to Pat, scenes which featured Usha walking or talking with Putthipong took the most takes to complete, owing to her inexperience as an actress and Pat's strict blocking requirements. According to Jake Yancey of Hollywood Insider, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies uses strict opposing colors for its characters and settings to reinforce the film's themes of generational and emotional difference.
Jaithep Raroengjai was hired to compose the film's score and the soundtrack album was released digitally by GMM Music, the parent company of GDH, on September 17, 2024. It includes 7 songs featured in or inspired by the film, including its theme song "Ever-Forever" performed by Putthipong, and a cover of the Chinese traditional folk song "Aum Kim Kong" performed by Usha.[18] In a June 2024 interview with Magdalene, Raroengjai said the music was composed to be "natural" to make How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies "feel real, raw, and close to the audience".[19]
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies saw increased worldwide popularity after videos of staff at SM Supermalls theatres in Manila handing tissues to viewers prior to screening the film went viral. Its virality was boosted on social media after users took part in a trend of posting videos of themselves crying from watching the film.[20] Indonesian production company Falcon Pictures hosted press conferences with Pat in Jakarta between May 25 and May 27 in response to the film's initial success.[21] After its success in Singapore, Usha and Pat attended a ticketed fan event hosted by Golden Village in Suntec City on June 24, 2024. The event featured a screening of How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and a meet-and-greet,[22] and sold out almost immediately. A second event was added and took place later that same day.[23]
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was released in Thailand by GDH on April 4. It premiered internationally in competition at the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival on 17 July 2024.[24] Tickets for its initial premiere sold out almost immediately; a second screening then took place, which was attended by Pat and Putthipong.[25] The film was screened in Beijing for officials of the Thai embassy in China on August 18, organized by Thailand's Ambassador to China, Chatchai Viriyavejakul. It premiered in the "A Window on Asian Cinema" program at the 29th Busan International Film Festival on October 3[26] and competed at the 2024 Asian World Film Festival on November 16.[27]
The film began screening on May 15, in Indonesia; May 29, in the Philippines, May 30 in Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore; Myanmar on May 31; in Vietnam on June 7; Hong Kong and Macao on June 13; Cambodia on June 18; Taiwan on June 21; and Timor-Leste on June 26. It was released in Australia and New Zealand on July 18,[28] and in mainland China on August 23. It was theatrically released in South Korea on October 9:[29] the film was distributed by NK Contents in the country. GDH handled the film's theatrical distribution across Southeast Asia and the Chinese release was handled by Teamer Media.[30] In China, the film opened in 1000 theatres across 30 cities. Its Australian and New Zealand release was acquired by Chinalion Film Entertainment, which previously distributed Bad Genius (2017) in the countries.[31] The film's distribution in 110 other international territories was handled by Mokster Films and WME Independent,[32] with the film set to be released in Russia on January 9, 2025.[33]
In August 2024, Vertigo Releasing acquired the film's theatrical distribution rights for the United Kingdom and Ireland: this was followed by Vedette Film for the Netherlands and Belgium, PVR for India, and Well Go USA for North America. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies began a limited release in North America on September 13, in the Netherlands on October 10, and Belgium on November 13. The film will be released across 50 to 60 screens in the United Kingdom and Ireland on December 26.[34] The Indian release date is yet to be confirmed.[35]
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was released on streaming in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines by Netflix on September 12, 2024.[36] [37] It was the fourth-most viewed program on Netflix in its debut week in the Philippines in a shortened tracking period, with 3 million views in the week tracked from September 9 to September 15.[38]
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has grossed US$50 million worldwide, including ฿339 million ($12.4 million) in Thailand,[39] and became the highest-grossing Thai film of 2024 after grossing ฿250 million ($7.6 million) in its first fourteen days of release.[40] It grossed ฿172.6 million ($5.3 million) in combined receipts in Metropolitan Bangkok and Chiang Mai alone, becoming the highest-grossing GDH film in Thailand and eleventh-highest grossing domestic film of all time.[41] The film grossed $1.4 million in Singapore in its first eleven days of release,[42] and grossed $5.8 million in its first two weeks in China. As of September 8, 2024, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has grossed $14.8 million in China,[43] and $25 million across Western markets.[44]
According to GDH, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has been screened to over ten million people,[45] and it topped the box office in Singapore from June 6-9, grossing $256,000, setting the record for the biggest opening weekend for a Thai film. Shirley Low, the chief marketing officer of the Malaysian-based Golden Screen Cinemas, noted How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies exceeded their domestic box-office expectations for a Thai film. In Indonesia, the film sold over 3.5 million tickets (including selling 2 million in its first 13 days), setting the record for the most admissions for an Asian film in the country, surpassing the South Korean horror Exhuma (2024), which sold 2.6 million tickets.
The film broke or set several other box office records: in Indonesia, it is the highest-grossing Thai film and highest grossing Asian film,[46] [47] and it became the highest-grossing Thai film in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore,[48] Myanmar,[49] Vietnam,[45] Malaysia,[50] and the Philippines. In the Philippines, tickets were sold out on its opening day and screenings were increased to meet demand.
[51] Audiences polled by Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an average rating of 96%,[51] and audiences rated the film 8.9/10 based on 140,000 reviews on the Chinese review platform Douban. [52]
In Asia, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies received industry-wide praise: Shirley Low, the chief marketing officer of Golden Screen Cinemas, commended the film's realistic portrayal of family life, saying, "everything in the film [reminded me of] my family". A similar sentiment was echoed by Ruby Ann O. Reyes, the vice president for corporate marketing for SM Supermalls. According to Pat, the film "stunned" his family (whom the characters are based on) and he stated they "[don't] talk about [the film] but they feel good that it happened". In a review for Grazia Singapore, Danisha Liang praised Putthipong’s convincing portrayal and highlighted Usha's "sassy—almost feisty" presence as the film's standout.[53] The Philippine Stars Jelou Galang praised the production design and Kraithong's cinematography.[54]
In a review for Medium Indonesia, Kania Pasaman commended the slower pace, saying "subtlety is where the film’s true strength lies" and called the performances "rich with nuance and emotion". He also wrote the "skillful incorporation" of humor added "depth and charm" and the ending was "profoundly moving and emotionally enriching". He praised How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies for being an accurate reflection of Asian family dynamics,[55] which was echoed by Noel Wong in his review for Free Malaysia Today.[56] Writing for The Rakyat Post, Keran Raj called the "witty and natural" screenplay as "one of the film's strongest aspects", while also praising the "charming and convincing" performance by Putthipong, the "warmth and wisdom" of Usha's performance, and their on-screen chemistry, which he labelled the "heart and soul" of the film.[57]
The film was a critical success outside Asia. Writing for Film Threat, Alex Saveliev gave How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies a positive review, saying it "brims with wisdom and insight" and called the comedy "acerbic and gentle". He also praised the dialogue, labelling it "biting, crisp, smart, and frequently heartbreaking".[58] Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com complimented the music, comedy, and Pat's direction, saying "every scene was packed with lived-in details". He also applauded the "care" and "sensitivity" in the screenplay, concluding the film is "a sunny, gracious portrait of family life".[59] ScreenDailys Allan Hunter further praised the direction, calling How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies "a sentimental journey to redemption that Boonnitipat grounds in understanding and empathy", and lauded the emotional weight of Raroengjai's music. Hunter also commended the performances of the leads, calling Putthipong "nicely understated and thoughtful" and said Usha was "remarkable" in her portrayal of "a wise and gracious figure – not a typical cuddly grandma but someone canny, realistic and determined".[60]
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has been considered an atypical box office hit for Thai cinema, which has historically favored horror, action, or comedy films. This was echoed by the film's producer Vanridee Pongsittisak, who said "we did not expect this scale of success". In July 2024, the film won the Audience Award at the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival.[61] In October, the film was selected by the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations as Thailand's submission for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards,[62] of which, the 15-film shortlist is expected in December and the final nominations announced in January 2025.
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Asian Film Festival | 28 July 2024 | Audience Award | How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies | ||
| Kino Bravo International Film Festival | 4 October 2024 | Best Actress | Usha Seamkhum | [63] | |
| Best Cinematography | Boonyanuch Kraithong | ||||
| Miami Film Festival | 7 November 2024 | Audience Award | How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies | [64] | |
| Zagreb Film Festival | 10 November 2024 | PLUS Award for Best Film by the Young Jury | [65] | ||
| Asia-Pacific Film Festival | 1 December 2024 | Best Picture | [66] | ||
| Best Director | Pat Boonnitipat | ||||
| Best Leading Actor | Putthipong Assaratanakul | ||||
| Best Leading Actress | Usha Seamkhum | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Tontawan Tantivejakul | ||||
| Best Original Screenplay | Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn and Pat Boonnitipat | ||||
| Best Original Music Score | Jaithep Raroengjai | ||||
| Best Art Direction | Tassanai Lertkai | ||||
| Best Makeup & Costume Design | Jirateep Kluewan and Chayanuch Savekvattana | ||||