Review: The Book of Mountains and Seas

A person’s digital footprint can often give away intimate details about their life, whether they intend for it to or not. Yilong Liu’s comedic drama follows loving and regret-filled California dad Raymond, as he embarks on an impossible mission – to follow the breadcrumbs left by his late son Archie via his popular Yelp page. 

Prior to his death, Archie used his Yelp page not only as a platform for restaurant reviews but also as a place to divulge intimate details about his life in New York. It’s here that Raymond believes are the answers that he’s been seeking about his son, and so he sets out to visit all 179 restaurants reviewed by Archie, convincing his son’s former partner Andrew to accompany him on the journey. 

The setting of The Book of Mountains and Seas is simple, with emphasis placed on only two chairs, a table and a stage light, which has the effect of depicting the looming absence of Archie, felt by both his dad and former partner. There’s a tenderness in the script and in Raymond’s paternal nurturing of Andrew and his dreams of travel so when we discover the truth behind Archie’s final act, it’s all the more harder to witness the fallout.

In the end, The Book of Mountains and Seas isn’t really about this impossible mission proposed by Archie’s dad. Instead, it’s a touching meditation on how we hold onto grief and the things we do to cope with the reality of loss.