Simple, but sweet. Sometimes that’s all a film needs.
What it's about
After years of living in America, Nau Van returns home to Vietnam for the anniversary of his father’s death. The whole clan is excited to see him, though they’re unsure what to make of his VIetnamese-American friend, Ian.
The take
In another country, you can forge a completely different life from the one you had in your hometown. For closeted LGBTQ+ individuals, moving to a more tolerant society allows you to explore facets of your sexuality that wasn’t possible previously. In Goodbye Mother, first generation immigrant Nau Van is confronted with the secrets he hid from his hometown, the secret that isn’t a secret in America. The conflict plays out in a familiar fashion, going through plenty of the usual experiences that coming out entails, but, while these are familiar, Goodbye Mother tugs at the reality Asian immigrants experience, and does so in a sweet and empathetic way.
What stands out
The grandma! So supportive and surprisingly spry for her age.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
The Last Wife (2023)
A muddled, soapy period drama with distracting comedy
6.3
Song of the South (2023)
A striking, but meandering journey of a boy in 1940s Vietnam
6.5
The Quiet American (2002)
An effortless adaptation of the challenging romantic political drama
7.2
Blue Bayou (2021)
Justin Chon writes and directs a poignant film showing that home is more than a place, it's the people you love
7.2
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (2023)
A gorgeous and hypnotic—but very demanding—piece of slow cinema
6.3
The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2000)
A nostalgic and languid summer afternoon in an Eden-like Hanoi that hides some underlying turbulent desires
7.2
Carved (2024)
A vengeful pumpkin turns the knives back to humans in this goofy old-school creature feature
6.3
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.
8.1
The Guilty (2018)
A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.
9.0
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.