Review of The Beautiful Country (2004) by Jeremy M — 27 Sep 2006

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[font=Times New Roman][size=3][color=#000000]The Beautiful Country[/color][/size][/font].

[font=Times New Roman][size=3][color=#000000]Alex Mowers[/color][/size][/font].

[font=Times New Roman][size=3][color=#000000]10/5/06[/color][/size][/font].

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[size=3][color=#000000][font=Times New Roman] The Beautiful Country portrays an different side of the immigration from East Asia to America than is typically shown, and it is something that everyone should see. The movie is a story told about Bihn (Damien Nguyen), a half Vietnamese, half American man who grows up an outcast in Vietnam. After leaving his unwelcoming home Bihn goes to Saigon to find his mother. An incident occurs which forces him and his brother Tam to flee to America in attempt to find his G.I. father. After a short boat ride the two are sidetracked into a Malaysian refugee camp/prison where the female lead Ling (played by Bai Ling) is met. Once Bihn gets to America Bihn sets out to find his father and to find out what really is The Beautiful Country.[/font][/color][/size].

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[size=3][color=#000000][font=Times New Roman] There is one thing that you can not do while watching The Beautiful Country and that is to get bored! There are so many scene changes you can not leave the room without expecting to come back to a different country. This could be a weak point in the film; Instead, it winds up being proof of Director Hans Peter Moland`s mettle by maintaining coherence. Movies made from the American viewpoint about the post Vietnam War era have become a dime a dozen, but this movie comes from a different angle showing what might happen to us were we on the other side of the spectrum. It is refreshing to see a movie that evokes so much thought and feeling without special effects.[/font][/color][/size].

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[size=3][color=#000000][font=Times New Roman] The acting in this movie is near perfect. Damien Nguyen is a subtle yet effective actor. He almost transforms throughout the film as he rids himself of all the insults and misfortune suffered in Vietnam and begins life anew in America. Bai Ling gives a performance that does what it has to do to support Nguyen, but does little more than that. A very renowned actress in Asia, Ling brings high expectations to the table and does not deliver what is expected. Nick Nolte makes an appearance at the end of the movie and manages to make me respect his acting again (or maybe for the first time). His part is somewhat brief but he manages to make you feel bad and good for his character at the same time.[/font][/color][/size].

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[size=3][color=#000000][font=Times New Roman] Cinematography is something that has been put by the wayside in many movies as of late, but this movie brings it back. It does not have huge landscapes with swans flying across a beautiful sunset, but it has a way of making the actors surroundings work towards the movie. The images in Vietnam show the viewer just how different that country is, making you appreciate the difficulty of going from Vietnam to America. The grim scenes in the Malaysian prison and on the boat are put together perfectly to keep your focus on the plot, while still showing just how difficult some of these places were to be. [/font][/color][/size].

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[size=3][color=#000000][font=Times New Roman] With the well laid plot line, solid directing, moving acting, and beautiful scenery shown in this movie, it is hard to believe it has stayed under the radar. The journey Bihn is forced to endure is common to that of so many others who surround us each day. Once I was done watching this movie I was shocked to see the director was not Vietnamese since the film demonstrated such empathy for Bihn and the other characters. My girlfriends mother, a Vietnam war refugee who endured an even harder journey than Bihn, watched the movie with me. She was very moved at the end and if that isn`t proof enough that this movie is worth watching, than nothing is.[/font][/color][/size].