Plot

Tracy is a woman of integrity, determination, results; and she wants to see exactly that reflected onto her daughter. As the day of Tracy's death nears, she amplifies the intensity of her parenting, which exposes the flaws within.

Spare the rod, spoil the child. It is a parenting style that many Chinese parents, as well as many other parents from all over the world believe in to raise a kid who will be excellent and successful. Tracy is one of them. Tracy is a famous and respected violinist from Beijing but the accident that happened during her national competition has her diagnosed with a deadly disease. She is aware that she has not much time left with her daughter Sophie, and Tracy believes that it is Tracy's responsibility to make sure Sophie becomes a great violinist and lives a good life after Tracy's death. Tracy then pushes to an extreme and trains Sophie hard to get to the top at the national music competition, in the name of love; however, she doesn't seem to know that Sophie is suffering from Tracy's mental and physical torture. The only adult person that Sophie could ask help from is Rachel, Tracy's friend. Sophie and Rachel seem to have a better "mother-daughter" relationship than that of Sophie and Tracy. In the end, Tracy wonders, is it too much for a mother to ask for a bright future for her daughter?—Paul Persic