His memorable words "murder your darlings" -- though often paraphrased -- have endured in the literary world because he made a very good point. Put simply, it means: get rid of the bits you love, because they are most likely not serving the plot. The movie is set in the wonderful Thai countryside and opens with a to-die-for sweeping shot across the rice fields, landing us on the playground of a junior school. Their striking innocence and unfiltered honesty are beautifully observed, and it is in this respect that the movie truly sings. It's a stellar performance -- though the singing voice of Lek is provided by the clear-toned Victoria Woodman.
