Bad Axe

I laughed, I cried, and I was inspired! What more can you ask from a movie? Despite the fact that it was a documentary, I really enjoyed the drama and story arc, all very deftly carved out in the intense setting of COVID lockdown and the rise of anti-Asian racism. This film was featured on opening night of the San Diego Asian Film Festival and we were so fortunate to have Jaclyn, Chun, Rachel and Kat answer some of our questions. Hearing them speak live made me appreciate even more how skillfully David Siev edited their natural voices to provide such depth of meaning and continuity with such a delicate and loving eye.

For anyone who appreciates the struggle and achievement of the American dream, this excellent documentary resonates. In the backdrop of the pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, anti-Asian racism, neo-Nazis, and anti-masking, there is a heartfelt and revealing story of a Cambodian-Mexican-American family who emerged from extremely humble beginnings in America to become a vital part of the small town of Bad Axe. The film reminds me of the consistent question it presents which is, "How do we become better people?" When the next crisis happens, we will again witness as the director has in this film that there are people who will rise to do better and be better as well as people who are unwilling to value anybody who is not white. Called a "love letter", the film is really to me a love lesson in teaching the values of communication and self-reflection when we look at what we're doing to each other. Highly recommend.

A movie about what it means to "truly" love.... Wow. As intimate as you can get - so well done.... What a gift.... Thank you dear family for being who you are for our benefit - you define hope.

The film is a very honest and raw portrayal of a multi-ethnic family trying to keep their rural Michigan restaurant alive during the 2020 pandemic. It is at times humorous, sad, tense, and tear-jerking as we follow the Siev family through the Covid crisis, BLM protests, and the 2020 election. Chun Siev, the father of the clan, butts heads with his oldest child, Jacklyn, who is just as stubborn and hard-headed as her father.

Though at times the film feels that it may turn preachy and political, the filmmakers do a great job keeping the tone of the film fairly level, and the events seen on screen speak for themselves. My only slight complaint is the film began to spin its wheels in the third act, but the eventual conclusion leaves you heart-warmed and feeling patriotic.

I hope this film gets wide enough release to get noticed - if it's not one of the Oscar-nominated documentaries at the end of the year, I'll be disappointed.

Full disclosure: I grew up about 20 minutes from the town of Bad Axe, so I was very familiar with the area depicted in the film. I can say it was a very fair-handed treatment of the county.

A lovely movie about a mixed race family in the heart of covid Michigan. From East Asia, Mexico and the Mid-West this family goes through every real life trial and victory. Just saw it at The Milwaukee Film Festival.