Attending to the affairs of Mark, his recently deceased friend, Jeff comes across e-mails from a stranger, Andrea. Overcame by his curiosity, Jeff invites Andrea to come and stay with him. During this short period of time and through their association with Mark, both men embark on a new journey of friendship, one that has the potential to change their lives. The movie resembles a still photograph, except even in photographs emotion jumps at the viewer. Here, there’s only a straight line. No ups and downs. Directed by Yen Tan (Happy Birthday, Love Stories), Ciao is characterized by long shots, long stares and long silences.

Grade: F

Ciao releases in select theaters Dec. 26.