This 2009 film is another great example of "under the radar" film. I missed it in release last year (as in - didn't even know of it) and was glad to see it now. It is a story of a family living in Boston struggling to survive. The mom immigrated from Hong Kong over a decade ago, but her work visa has expired. Both kids are U.S. citizens and dad is out of the picture. Mom goes from one sales scheme to another and finally gets enmeshed in a pyramid scheme. Having lost their house, they now live in the model home of a soon to be opened apartment complex and for at least part of the story, the kids survive on their own as mom is unavailable. The film is not speedy, but takes its time showing the intricacies of struggle. With the inability to get a "legal" job, what real options does the mom have? Watching mom believe in the next best sales job, the kids pick up on an independent entrepreneur attitude (hence the title) and become inventors themselves. Aside from the ethnic Chinese community, the family does not have any real connections, and therefore any real safety net. This is a hard life and the frustration and futility bubble clearly to the surface for both mom and kids. And yet, there is no depression or giving in. There is optimism and there is family. I liked how all the pieces fit together, giving a seemingly realistic view of life.
4 stars (out of 5)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment