THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
US, 2004, 125 minutes, Colour.
Damien Nguyen, Bai Ling, Nick Nolte, Tim Roth, Temuera Morrison.
Directed by Hans Petter Moland.
The Beautiful Country is a very moving film, a beautiful film about sadness and hope.
The film was directed by Hans Petter Moland, a Norwegian director of many quirky films including In Order of Disappearing. He brings great sensitivity to this story and the style of storytelling.
Damien Nguyen appears as Binh, son of a GI who disappeared soon after his birth and a local mother. In the aftermath of the Vietnam war, children of mixed race were looked down on. Binh has grown up in the countryside, away from his mother who works in Saigon, and he is treated badly by relatives and people in the village. They oust him and he makes his way to Saigon, trying to find his mother.
While all might have been well in Saigon, his mother works as a servant and is harassed by the son of the house. After an accident, it seems better that Binh and his stepbrother, Tam, should try to leave the country, which they do, making their way to Malaysia where they are interned in refugee camps.
For audiences wondering what it is like to be a refugee, a boat person, living in refugee camps with little hope of getting out, this film should be seen. After the escape from the camp, Binh and Tam, along with a Chinese woman, Ling, experience the exploitation of people smugglers. Life on the boat seems even worse than in the camps.
After arrival in the United States, the refugees are taken by truck to an unknown destination, finally reaching New York where they are exploited for their work in sweatshops. Binh eventually decides to go to Texas and search for his father – which he does with some unexpected twists to the story of his father.
Damien Nguyen carries the film as Binh. Bai Ling is the Chinese singer. Temuera Morrison is the people smuggler. Tim Roth is the captain of the ship. And at the end there is a fine performance by Nick Nolte as Binh’s father.
1. A beautiful and moving film? The lack of promotion and its not being seen?
2. Vietnam story, dating back to the war, the aftermath of the war, the GIs and their relationship with local women, the birth of children of mixed race, the introductory note about people looking down on these children, on the mothers? The consequences, migration, refugee status, camps in Malaysia, on the high seas, going to America? The search for parents?
3. The director, from Norway, his perspective and sensitivity?
4. The Vietnamese locations, the countryside, the villagers, the move to Saigon in 1990? The city, the streets, jobs, poverty, affluent families and their style? On the sea in the small boats, the visualising of the Malaysia camps, the interiors of the huts, the exteriors, the fences? The ship with the refugees, cramped spaces, on deck? The American locations, in New York City, the Vietnamese in servitude and servile jobs? The contrast with Texas, Houston, the countryside, the farm, the old hut? The musical score?
5. Binh’s story, the background of his birth, the photo with his parents, the disappearance of his father, with his family in the countryside, their spurning him, ousting him, his property, needing food, work? His decision to go to the city?
6. His search for his mother, enquiries, leads, her background as a hairdresser? His going to the shop? Gradually discovering her? The work in the house, servant, asking for a job for her son? His being given odd jobs? Her having a little boy? The sexual harassment from the son of the family, his attacks did, handling his mother? Lady of the house, her demands, wealth, the contrast with ordinary people? The vase, it’s breaking? The decision that Binh should leave? Leaving his mother? The document and the address of his father?
7. His escape, getting in the small boat, going out to see, the rescue from the ship? Sailing to Malaysia? The importance of taking his stepbrother, Tam? The bond between the two?
8. Life in the camp, the enthusiastic Chinese, his mental condition, his being killed? Meeting living, Ling, her being a refugee, the friendship with Tam? The girls in the camp, the prostitution, trying to save money? The men, the work, digging holes? The lack of food, Binh finding the rooster, preparing it for a meal? The authorities? Supervision? The hard life and people expecting to stay there?
9. The opportunity for Binh to leave, taking Tam, with Ling? The money? Getting through the fence, to the sea, being taken to the ship, the demands for money, the captain watching?
10. The people smuggler, his ruthlessness, demanding money, extra money for Tam and Ling? The captain allowing them on the boat? Going below, the cramped quarters? The storms, people dying, the bodies thrown overboard? The lack of food?
11. The captain, his attitude, his mission, his cargo, relationship with the people smuggler? The young man who tormented Binh, sending him to the end of the line? The captain, confronting him, threatening him? The captain’s interest in Binh, inviting into the caBinh, talking about his future? Yet strict with him? The people smuggler and the captain shooting him? Binhs seeing this? Tam, his getting sick, his death, his body overboard?
12. The arrival in the United States, the small boat, people hurrying onto the beach? The roundup, taken in trucks? Going to New York? A different atmosphere, the visuals of New York – as seen by the Vietnamese? The jobs in the sweat houses? Yet a certain amount of freedom to move around? Ling, the cafes, her singing, the men singing with her, the connections, prostitution? The man who is interested her as a person, to marry her, the meeting the cafe, Binh’s reaction?
13. Binh, surviving in New York, writing to get out? The decision to get Texas? His lack of money? The various opposite hitchhiking, friendly people, the Mexican family, the truck driver and his memories of being in Vietnam? His arriving at his father’s address, ringing the bell, the ex-wife and her antagonism, the dislike of her husband? Getting the police, Binh on the footpath, walking up and down, who finally giving him some information?
14. His travelling into the countryside? Going to the address? Meeting the manager, hearing something about his father Western Mark going to the hut? Not immediately realising he was blind?
15. Steve, blind, his work, excepting Binh, helping with the painting of the fence war? The meals, the bedroom, offering Binh the bed, in taking the mattress? They’re working together?
16. The revelation of the story, Steve’s love his wife, the marriage, his work, the explosion, waking up in America, blind? Not wanting his wife to support a blind man, his staying in America? He is passing, trying to get work?
17. The bond with Binh, Steve telling his story, memories of Vietnam, cooking Vietnamese meals, working together?
18. The end of the quest for Binh? A satisfying ending? The US is a beautiful country? Hopes for a future?
