Mai

I can't believe I lost 2 hours of my life watching a movie that ends in triumph for the character I most despised. This confounding tumultuous tale of a carnival-like Vietnamese subculture awash in masseuses, evil neighbors, street thugs and perverts might be exciting to some viewers but it's one rabbit hole I wish I never ventured down. While the fact that many Vietnamese kids will dutifully worship at the feet of judgemental, controlling and selfish parents is something I've seen firsthand, it doesn't make it any easier to witness or accept. From the get-go, the film's protagonists all seem to suffer from a culturally pervasive sort of Stockholm Syndrome. Despite an ephemeral moment or two of promising romantic charm, overall I found the story relentlessly disturbing.