What is life without love? It’s a question that movies often explore, and sometimes, one comes along that truly moves us. I recently watched a Netflix film called Viva La Vida, and it left me in tears, just like those movies I used to watch back in school, like Five Feet Apart, Midnight Sun, and The Fault in Our Stars. Viva La Vida is about a young woman named Ling Min, who’s just about to turn twenty-five. But instead of planning a big celebration, Ling Min is facing something incredibly difficult—she has uremia, a condition that leads to kidney failure. Her life revolves around managing her health, tracking every bit of food and water, and making sure her potassium levels are just right. She knows that without a kidney transplant, she might not survive much longer. As she watches life slip by, seeing others suffer and lose hope, she realizes she wants to live a normal life, like anyone else. So desperate, Ling Min decides to post a video online to ask for help—she’s looking for a kidney donor. But not just any donor; she’s willing to marry the person who steps forward and even promises to care for them and their family in return. It’s a huge risk to put herself out there like that, especially since she’s completely alone. Her boyfriend abandoned her when she needed him the most, and she fears that people will mock her desperation. But then, one person doesn’t: Luu Tu. Who is this person, and what happens between them at the end? Viva La Vida shows what we do for love and survival, and how sometimes, we can find hope for living when we have someone to live for.
Spoilers Ahead
Why did Luu Tu start staying with Ling Min?
When Ling Min first met Luu Tu at the restaurant, she instantly knew he was trouble. He came off as silly, immature, and goofy—a guy who loved to play around. But Luu Tu had his own share of problems. He was suffering from a brain tumor, and whenever his intracranial pressure rose, he would feel extremely sleepy, as if he was senseless. Luu Tu lived with his mother and wanted someone to take care of her after he was gone as he knew he didn’t have much time left. Like a business proposal, Luu Tu suggested that they get married—Actually, a month ago, his condition had worsened, and he promised to donate his kidney after he died, in exchange for her promise to take care of his mother after he passed away. But Ling Min wasn’t looking for a partner under such cold terms. She quickly saw that he was serious about the deal, even though she clearly said she didn’t want his kidney anymore and didn’t want to marry him. He wouldn’t listen and kept following her everywhere—from the hospital to her house.
Luu Tu just wanted to evaluate the person he was going to marry, and it seemed like he would not take no for an answer. But Ling Min was not ready to welcome this kind of trouble into her life; she had enough problems already, and Luu Tu seemed like a literal headache from the beginning. She even went to the extreme of complaining to the police about him as she hoped he would stop following her. But a few months later, they met again at her best friend’s wedding, where Luu Tu was the photographer. In a moment of confusion, he thought Ling Min was asking for his help to get away from another guy, so he punched the man to prove himself a hero. In the chaos that followed, Luu Tu accidentally grabbed her hand—the hand with the fistula for her dialysis. This mistake caused her fistula to stop functioning properly which led to acute thrombosis. Her condition worsened, and she had to undergo surgery. That was the first time Luu Tu truly fell for Ling Min. He realized he was the reason behind her suffering and didn’t know how to make things right. He was devastated, and that’s when he decided Ling Min couldn’t live on her own. He proposed moving in with her to take care of her and even asked his mother to help bathe her while he would prepare meals and look after her. This was no longer a business deal—Luu Tu genuinely wanted to take care of her.
Why did Luu Tu decide to start treatment?
After Luu Tu started living with Ling Min, he began to fall for her even more deeply. He started appreciating her little habits and everything they did together. Although Ling Min initially found him annoying, the way he took care of her eventually won her heart. She realized that, while he could be an idiot, he was the idiot she wanted in her life. Then, Ling Min received a call from the hospital about a potential kidney match. However, when they arrived, they discovered that another family member had priority, and the donor’s family objected to giving the kidney away. Ling Min had felt a spark of hope after a long time, only to have it quickly fade away. Luu Tu saw her disappointment and told her that his own condition had worsened, which is why he wanted to give his kidney to his wife. Yes, he proposed that they should get married! He just wanted to give her a chance at life as he realized that with his deteriorating condition, he might not have more than a week left if things started to get worse. Despite her reservations, Ling Min agreed, and they got married in a simple registry ceremony. It wasn’t out of need or pity—she truly was happy.
But just after they got married, one day at a restaurant, Luu Tu suddenly started vomiting. His condition was deteriorating. Without telling him, Ling Min went to see the doctor for advice and found out that his condition could be treated properly. It turned out that Luu Tu didn’t want to waste his mother’s savings on expensive treatment and didn’t want to trouble Ling Min. He had previously gone through a terrible experience with treatment and felt that being stuck in the ICU was worse than death. He didn’t want to go through that again. But this time, it wasn’t up to him. Ling Min talked to him and made him understand that she needed him—not as part of a business transaction, but because she genuinely wanted him in her life. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with this idiot of a man. So, even though he didn’t want to live for himself, Luu Tu finally decided to get treatment because he wanted to live for Ling Min, the love of his life. And behold the power of love and treatment! Even though the procedure was tough, the operation was a success, and Luu Tu got a new lease on life. He finally had hope to live his life with his wife, Ling Min, who was beyond happy to have him back safe and sound.
In Viva La Vida’s ending, we witness their beautiful wedding celebration with family and friends, as they begin their “happily ever after” journey together. We all hope that Ling Min gets her treatment and finds a kidney donor soon so that they can fully achieve their happy ending.
