Rosemead

Eric Lin’s directorial debut Rosemead is a moving documentary about a mother fighting on two fronts. Irene battles a serious illness while doing everything she can to help her son Joe (Lawrence Shou) recover from depression. Trouble arises when a horrifying truth about the lost young man comes to light. Irene is portrayed by Lucy Liu, known to audiences from Kill Bill, in what may be the most complex and dramatic role of her career. Liu becomes both the emotional foundation of the film and the anchor of its on-screen family, embodying a desperate mother confronting her son’s pain. The debuting director depicts, with subtle nuance, the life of a Chinese-American family who, haunted by a past tragedy, grow increasingly distant and unable to reconnect. Rosemead overwhelms with its atmosphere and heavy subject matter, as Lin delivers a profound study of depression and isolation. The journey ahead for Irene and her son is filled with pain, sacrifice, and resignation. Will their family bonds prove stronger than their grief? Will Irene’s family survive its greatest crisis yet?