So I didn’t think I would like this movie as much as I did! I had to leave about an hour early which was disappointing because the beginning was very good! I think this movie helped me to understand Japanese Culture even more.

The scene where her dad killed himself in front of everyone was so sad Especially since the daughter had to watch. My dad died when I was 16 and it was the worst moment in my whole life. He died at home, while I was at my friends house. I remember every second of that day perfectly and it runs through my mind often…but I couldn’t imagine watching it happen. It would definitely scar me more than I already am.

The part when Kai was beat for fighting in the match, was very sad to watch. He didn’t have much of a choice because the guy who was supposed to fight was put under a spell.

I really enjoyed this movie, although it was really sad and I wanted to cry at times!

Binh was so brave to go travel to a new country to go find his dad… somebody he never even met before! But it’s really sad how he was treated the whole time. I couldn’t believe how they starved the people on the ship, and caused them to fight until their death. And how so many people died while trying to start a new and better life. The worst part of the movie was when Binh’s little brother died and he had to throw him off of the ship. I don’t know how he even got through that. Their first impressions of America also had to be so bad because they weren’t able to enjoy the place they’ve been waiting to come to…instead they had to spend years repaying their debt.

I am happy that he found his dad and was able to work on the ranch with him. His father also brought up a few times how he had such good memories in Vietnam when he was married, which Im sure Binh was relieved to hear! But what Really bothered me is that Binh never told his father that he was his son! It really frustrated me when the movie ended because I wanted to see his reaction!

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Hans Petter Moland’s The Beautiful Country has mostly ups for me with a few downs. However, despite the heartbreaking elements to the plot I felt very refreshed to see a movie that focused on the appropriate struggle. Instead of focusing on the life after war for lead character Binh’s father, Steve, the story follows Binh. I was pleased that we did not learn about Binh through the “white lens” story, which has been a common theme I have seen. (For example, in Netflix’s popular original series Orange is the New Black we are introduced and learn the lives of many women inside the prison, but we are only allowed that opportunity through lead white character, Piper Chapman. It’s a well developed series, but the problem still lies therein the fact that our vehicle into the stories of People of Color need to be white.)

I was very pleased with the cast of The Beautiful Country and the use of real life situations, even though they were very melancholy. The realistic drama of it was extremely raw. For example, as terrible as it was for Binh’s little brother [Tam] to die it was also a point that was touched in previous readings on the transportation of immigrants. There was a lot that was illuminated in terms of the discrimination inside Of Vietnam with mixed race children; the refugee camps; slave trade and human trafficking; the way that people find comfort in each other without it turning into a fairy tale that erases the real life struggle; the way falsities about America can be problematic (you’ll be rich!); and how class systems and racial prejudices can truly manifest in someone’s life and is prejudices are still relevant.

However, I was disappointed with two developments of big characters. First, I was disappointed with the transformation of Ling’s personality and how shallow they made her character seem once she was in New York. I think that, at best, it was showing the possibility of opportunities and how those can manifest, because her character was truly sincere and caring for most of the film. But even if that is the case, there are other ways to showcase that possibility which does not hold necessity on Binh and Ling remaining romantic. I also fond the view and commentary on her as a sex worker as stereotypical and problematic.
My second disappointment came from the final understanding of his father, but only because it is so rare to have real blame and guilt placed on a white character without also being given a reason for us [the audience] or them [those who were harmed in the film] not find an excuse to feel sorry for the “bad guy”. I do recognize that injuries are a very real part of war, and I was happy to see that it ended with Binh finding a place where he could be accepted, but what is it saying to have one of his few acceptances to be by his blind father? Similarly, previous readings have given examples of American GIs abandoning women without medical excuses and I thought this point would be one of importance to illustrate in such a film.  

This was my first time to watch the movie about Asian Americans except about Japanese Americans. However, I found that every movies about Asian American made me really sad. Because of the poor, their life were really hard, and had bad experiences. In this movie, I was impressed by the word; “wherever you go, you are poor.” Even he was poor, Binh had a dream to meet his parents However, the dream was not sure to come true. With thinking about his situation, I am sure that the word might have affected his mind. Wherever he went, he was poor. In the ship to move from Vietnam, their life was terrible. Through this movie, I found that people couldn’t live together under the harsh condition and in one space. Weak people would die, and powerful people would control there. The environment change the life of people there.

I think one of the reason why Asian people came to America and why they choose to be Asian Americans is caused by the wars. There might be a lot of couples between Asian people and American people. And more, quite a few people separated each other like Binh’s parents. Binh’s father had the reason why he didn’t be back to Vietnam. I could deeply understand the reason, but I couldn’t help being sadness for Binh’s mother. If the age in the movie was now, it was impossible to live all of them together. I am still frustrated against the problem.

  The Beautiful Country was a movie I have not heard of or seen before Tuesday’s class. The movie told of a “bui doi” named Binh who leaves his village to find his mother, only to leave her soon when the mistress Binh’s mother worked for dies from an accident. With no choice to flee, Binh takes his new young brother Tam with him and sets off for America to find his father. The trip is hazardous and causes them to wash ashore to Malaysia, where they meet Ling, a Chinese woman who is kind, but works as a prostitute at night for favors. The trio escapes during a riot and reach a ship where they endure another perilous journey that costs Tam’s life. Once they reach America, Binh and Ling work in New York’s Chinatown district and try to make a living. Deciding he is wasting his time, Binh confronts that Ling has changed and leaves her with the rich man, setting off afterwards towards finding his father in Texas. Binh meets his father’s ex-wife, who does not help him at first, but eventually tells Binh of his father’s last whereabouts to make him go away. Traveling to Sweetwater,  Binh applies to work at the ranch and meets his father, who is blind. Binh works with him and they both share accounts of their lives until the end where the father realizes the Vietamese working with hims is his son. It concludes with Binh happily cutting his dad’s hair while his dad jokes about doing the same to Binh too.

The movie was a journey that changed a man throughout his journey. At first, Binh was  subservient and following what others told him due to his status as a “bui doi” or “less than dust”, but after Tam’s death he becomes more confident and less passive on things affecting him or Ling. The evolving of Binh’s character was great to see, including the diverse range of people he met along the way. The death of young Tam due to water sickness was one of the most dramatic scenes I’ve ever seen, probably more dramatic than Assano’s seppuku in 47 Ronin. I did admire how Binh dealt with Ling upon finding out she has her heart set on the rich man instead, going the route of “you’ll be happier with him than me” and reminding her he can’t wait forever to find his father.

Regarding the cast, the choices were actually pretty good. I did not recognize any of the cast members initially except Snakehead, the “other business” man aboard this ship who was later on killed by the British captain. The face and voice immediately told me it was Temuera Morrison, whom I remember as Jango Fett from Star Wars Episode II.

Other than him, Ling, played by Bai Ling, was also Miss East from Wild Wild West. I don’t know any of the other cast members, but Binh’s actor, Damien Nguyen, surprised me the most since he confessed the hardest part of working on The Beautiful Country was actually trying to be fluent in his native language. Overall, the movie was excellent and it gave me a different view on how other immigrants handle the challenges of coming to America. I’d recommend my friends to watch it.

In my opinion the film was beautiful yet simple.  I really appreciated this movie particularly because of Binh. I think it would have been easy for the writers to make Binh aggressive, revengeful, and have more of a common talkative attitude. So I love that the writers made Binh have the characteristics of someone who grew up as a “Bui Doi”. When Ling asked Binh “why you look at me like that? Why won’t you look at me?” Binh said because he was never allowed to play with children growing up and so he doesn’t look at anyone. He has “the face of enemy”. To me that scene was arguably the most impactful compared to the rest because it was at that moment the audience learned the truth about the consequences of the Vietnam War.  The ending of the film was very impactful as well; more so for Binh’s character than the audience. A few important details that happened to Binh included:

1. Ling confessed she didn’t love Binh in return. And it is implied to choose to marry a much older richer American man.
2. While gambling Binh learns any Vietnamese child of an American soldier and Vietnamese mother can fly for free.  This makes him feel even guiltier for his brother’s death. Because that means he never had to die.
3. Escapes debt for his passage to America because he is U.S. citizen.
4. Finds his father and learns the truth about why he left/abandoned his mother.  While married to Binh’s mother, he was blinded at work one day. The next thing he knew, he was waking up in a Maryland hospital bed with no vision. He couldn’t go back to Vietnam once the war had ended and he didn’t want to go back anyways because as a blind man he thought Binh’s mother was better off without him.

Binh’s father implies that he knows Binh is his son and that he’s glad Binh is with him now. The final scene ends with the two laughing and joking as Binh cuts his father’s hair. It seems that by the end at least some of Binh’s anguish and pain is beginning to heal.

First off if you haven’t seen this film, “The Beautiful Country” then you must rent it and watch it. It was a touching film that was both interesting and moving, hitting on many emotions ranging from sad to happy. It also was very educational and eye opening. Before this film I never thought much on the subject of the children fathered by American GI’s during the Vietnam War. This film gives insight to the struggles these children faced, and the hate they endured by their fellow Vietnemese citizens, as they were seen has having the face of their enemy since they were the product of their American fathers.

Furthermore, I had a few question regarding this film and on the children who were ostresized due to being half American and half Vietnamese. The first question is in regards to Bihn and his father Steve. What was the reason for him not coming out right away and telling Steve that he was his son? Especially after he waited so long and endured so much to finally reach his father.

Secondly, I wondered what happened to Bihn’s mother after Bihn and Tam left? Did she survive. Was she imprisoned? It is a piece of the story that was left untold and is a question that would be impossible to answer, but definitely made me curious of her fate.

Overall I found this movie extremely enjoyable and loved the way the plot moved along throughout the movie. Even better I loved the fact that the movie had a Happy ending with Bihn  building a bond with his father Steve. Yet again this is a must see film.