First Morning

Drove from LA to OC to watch this movie--I regret it. A long cliché with horrible acting. It was visually ugly with story line after story line of trite. Not a hint of originality, surprise or creativity. I wanted to like the movie, but just couldn't. The characters were unbelievable and synthetic. Does anyone really act like that? What could've been a senior 30min project in college turned into a 90minute bore. It makes me sad to know that other Vietnamese filmmakers could've been brought to the big screen but that this one was chosen.

p.s. I don't understand Vietnamese, but somehow I can tell that the acting was horrible in another language?

Based on a high average rating I was quite looking forward to what turned out in reality to be an extraordinarily abysmal production. This movie presented cliché after cliché with unconvincing acting, unrealistic dialogue and no emotional hooks. It has the appearance of a cheap made-for-TV time-filler, in everything from lighting to composition to editing. The storyline is desperately lacking in any emotional hooks or characters of depth, and the acting of a level one would expect of a dull daytime soap. I later looked at the breakdown of ratings and notice how the average rating has been artificially weighted by a huge number of 10/10 ratings, I assume by friends and family of those involved in the production.

Buoi Sang Dau Nam is one of those rare films that really capture the human experience of the aftermath of the Vietnam War from a Vietnamese perspective. It won Best Film at San Diego Asian Film Festival and got a standing ovation at UC Davis Asian American Film Festival.

The film truly details the journey and life so many Vietnamese refugees and the wounds that have not yet healed in very personal and meaningful way. The locations, music, and characters in the film resonate with many Vietnamese audiences because it is a world that is familiar, which makes the film so moving and haunting.

Non-Asian audiences may find themselves confused though, but if they let themselves sit with the film, it's a good piece.

I hope to see a lot more work from Victor Vu in the future.

In short, this is a tragic film about the great price the Vietnamese Boat people had to pay for freedom. This price has meant broken families and broken lives. Yet despite it all, they overcome their adversity and make a new life in the new homeland. I'm not going to say much more than that because it would spoil the ending for anyone who has not seen it. But I recommend this movie to anyone, even those who aren't Vietnamese.

Oh, and contrary to a previous poster, I found the acting was quite good and the translation is one of the best that I've seen so far for a Vietnamese movie. Knowing the cultural nuisances would make this movie much more enjoyable to viewer. However, everyone should see it because the message in the movie is universal.

Victor Vu's First Morning is an outstanding drama detailing the struggles of a young Vietnamese girl and her family as they flee communist Vietnam in search of a new life in the United States. Although she projects as excessively boring in the beginning, Kathleen Luong (Linh) is very convincing in her role and the viewer soon discovers the hidden reasons behind her shy and timid character. While the story line may appear to be typical to some, the film does serve to highlight various cultural differences, many of which are unknown to people outside the Vietnamese American community. If nothing else, the viewer should come away with a renewed appreciation and understanding of the hardships of being a first generation Vietnamese American.

Although the final message has been used time and time again in various stage settings, it is a message that should be repeated for ages to come.

Highly recommended.