The Puzzle

The movie opens with the woman celebrating her birthday surrounded by family and friends. She has taken care of all the preparations, including baking the birthday cake and hosting the party. After the celebration, she is left with the cleanup and a sense of satisfaction from her role as the hostess.

Throughout the event, the woman is shown to be more interested in the gift of a puzzle and toy with it rather than doing dishes. The film highlights her fascination with assembling puzzles, linking it to her personal sense of fulfillment and her earlier attempts at piecing together a broken plate.

We learn that the family members are exploring non-traditional pursuits; the men are engaged in Tai Chi and vegan cooking. Each family member begins to grow and change internally, contrasting with the traditional roles they have traditionally held.

The woman feels torn between her role as an ideal housewife and mother, and her desire to pursue her new hobby. Her frustration increases as she promises her husband she will stop puzzles if it bothers him, revealing her internal struggle with her identity and family expectations.

Determined to continue her passion, she begins working on puzzles in secret, meeting a puzzle-maker through an advertisement. She keeps her new hobby hidden from her family, fearing it might disturb their image of her as the perfect housewife.

Her puzzle-making skills impress a gentleman she meets, who invites her to partner with him in a significant competition. She practices diligently, balancing her secret hobby with her family life, and begins to see herself differently through her emerging talent.

She prepares for the competition by dressing up, wearing lipstick, and practicing her skills. Her dedication highlights her personal growth and her desire to pursue a passion that previously seemed forbidden or out of reach.

She and her partner win the puzzle competition in Germany after intense preparation. The celebration includes her and her partner sharing a toast and a moment of intimacy, symbolizing her acceptance of her new interests and talents.

Despite winning a ticket to another grand puzzle championship, she decides she doesn’t need to pursue it further. Her satisfaction with her personal growth signifies her acceptance of her multifaceted identity and her happiness with her current life.

She offers to take her husband’s place in a business transaction, demonstrating her trust and the shifting dynamics within the family. Her actions reveal that they can support each other and thrive as individuals within their collective family unit.