Touch (2024 film)

Touch (Snerting) is a 2024 romantic drama film directed by Baltasar Kormákur, written by Baltasar and Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, and produced by Baltasar, Agnes Johansen, and Mike Goodridge. The film is based on Ólafur's 2022 novel of the same name. It stars Egill Ólafsson, Kōki, and Palmi Kormakur.

Touch was first released in Iceland on May 29, 2024, and was released in the United States on July 12, 2024.

Plot
A widower tries to find his first love 50 years after she disappeared. This film takes place in present day and flashbacks.

In present day, which is in early 2020, just as the pandemic is spreading across Europe, senior citizen Kristófer is in his house in Iceland, seeming to be deep in thought. He looks through his things, and comes across his old student ID from the London School of Economics in which he had longish hair and a slight beard. He then packs his things, closes down his restaurant "until further notice," and says, "I'm sorry" to a framed picture of his deceased wife. He then boards a flight to London in search of his love who disappeared 50 years ago.

In a 50-year flashback, young Kristófer is enrolled in the London School of Economics, but he seems more interested in writing Communist manifestos rather than studying. He eventually quits school because he doesn't like the conservative ideology of the people who run the school.

His friends can't believe he has dropped out. Passing by a Japanese restaurant, Nippon, with a "help wanted" sign out front, his friends riff on him and ask why doesn't he just "join the proletariat." He agrees, despite that his friends were joking. He walks into the restaurant and is granted an interview. Owner Takahashi-san is quite taken with him due to his experience working on a fishing boat, as he also grew up on the shore. Despite never having worked in a restaurant before, he is hired. His job is dishwasher. Here he meets Miko. It was love at first sight.

Takahashi-san even lets Kristófer come in early to practice cooking. Miko, who is fast becoming Kristófer's love interest, as he is becoming hers, asks who will be the judge of his early morning cooking. She volunteers and they have a romantic meal together.

In a recent flashback, Kristófer is in his doctor's office complaining that he has difficulty remembering things. His doctor suggests an MRI, and advises him that in this time in his life, he should think about resolving any unresolved issues while he still has time, hence his journey to find Miko.

Back in 1969, Kristófer and Miko become lovers, but they have to hide it from Miko's father because the family originally lived in Hiroshima and the father is afraid that if Miko has a child, it will have birth defects due to possible radiation exposure from when the bomb fell.

In present day, senior Kristófer arrives in London. The neighborhood with the restaurant has completely changed, and the restaurant is now a tattoo parlor, so he goes in and gets a tattoo on his shoulder of a Japanese symbol that translates into "courage." His daughter calls, as she has called several times in the past few days. Seeing that her father has boarded a plane to London and is now getting a tattoo during a pandemic makes her question her father's sanity.

Back in 1969, Miko drops by the back room of the restaurant unexpectedly one rainy night. Without saying much, she makes love with him, somewhat desperately, while they are still partially clothed. She then walks out.

In present day, senior Kristófer is staying in a London hotel, which the clerk said may be shut down soon because of the pandemic. Kristófer finds and visits Hitomi, a coworker at Nippon, in a nursing home. She is very glad to see him. When asked about Miko, she answers that she only hears from her in Japan occasionally.

Back at the hotel, he again asks the clerk about finding his love whom he hasn't seen in 50 years. Initially flabbergasted by the length of time involved, he is able to find her whereabouts. With that, Kristófer thanks him and checks out of the hotel, allowing it to shut down.

Back in 1969, Kristófer comes back to work after a holiday break and walks into the restaurant only to find that it has shut down. He is given an envelope with his final pay. In desperation, he asks about Miko, and is told the whole family has fled.

In a flashback one week previous, Takahashi-san has come to the conclusion that the only way to prevent Miko from reproducing is to sterilize her. They make an appointment and arrive at the doctor's office. The doctor examines Miko and sees that her uterus is enlarged. They walk out of the doctor's office with the father enraged that Miko is pregnant. They shut down the restaurant and leave town.

Nine months later, Miko gives birth. She is allowed to hold the baby, but the father insists she sign it away for adoption. It is heavily implied that Miko, angry at her father forcing her to give up her son and Kristófer, cuts him out of her life after that moment, and he ultimately dies alone.

In present day, senior Kristófer arrives at Miko's building with flowers he has bought and waits. He inquires about Miko to one woman who exits one morning and returns that afternoon. She lets Kristófer in the building and he meets up with senior Miko. Initially inquiring if it's really him, she lets him in and they embrace, not having seen each other for over half a century.

He stays there for a few hours, taking care of her. She reveals that she never married nor had other children. Miko tells him that their son, who got adopted into a good family, grew up happy and healthy despite her father's fear. Their son, Akira is now a grown man in his fifties, a chef (to the delighted surprise of Kristófer), and that he also has two daughters.

The two of them go out to his restaurant, where Miko is a regular customer, but who has no plans to reveal herself as his mother. He waits on the two of them, then delivers their meals. When he walks away, Miko points out that he, their son, looks just like him. Kristófer is overcome with emotion, and silently decides to also not reveal his identity to Akira, content that their stolen future at least resulted in one good thing.

The film ends with Kristófer and Miko walking down the street hand in hand as the screen fades to black, the implication being they will spend what time they have left, together.

Production
Touch was produced by RVK Studios. Principal photography began on October 9, 2022, in London. In a December 2022 interview, Baltasar Kormákur planned to shoot the film in Iceland and Japan.

Release
Touch was first released in Iceland on May 29, 2024, and had a limited theatrical release on July 12, 2024.