Dear You

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Gunnar T @RT97644239 Jul 19 Incredibly touching movie that is mainly in the Teochew dialect but all Chinese and even non Chinese speakers can figure out what is going on. Phenomenal achievement by the crew, loved the twists and turns of the story See more Bianca L @RT77783551 Jul 18 I only watched because my father, being of Teochew descent, dragged me along. I wasn't impressed by the synopsis and went into it with zero expectations. I think that made it surprisingly decent. The Teochew dialect was poorly spoken, with the younger speakers garbling almost unintelligibly, but the speech of the older generation (the grandmother in particular) was beautiful. There were a lot of subtle jokes that were lost to the poor translation (both Mandarin and English). More importantly, the cultural context, while not entirely logical in terms of plot, was accurate in its historical details. It gives the younger generation that have never known their ancestors and important lesson. See more Daniel N @dan.ng Jul 17 In a cinematic landscape crowded with massive blockbusters, visual effects and over-the-top drama, this low-budget Teochew dialect film is a breath of fresh air. The film relies on non-professional, first-time cast. They aren't perfect movie stars delivery rehearsed, theatrical lines. When I watch the characters navigate debt, aging or the heavy weight of the past, I am watching faces that look like real people in neighborhoods and families. That lack of Hollywood artificiality makes their struggles feel deeply personal rather than performative. See more Sonny L @RT24668398 Jul 10 The travails of Chinese emigration in the 19th and early 20th century are already familiar to the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia. But this specific tale about one family’s experience and its inter-generational impact is rivetingly and very movingly told. The heart of the film lies in its exploration of the tenuousness and fragility of family connections - how yearningly we cling onto them and how easily we lose our hold through forces beyond our control. With a cast of non-professional players that feel their roles rather than act them, the story unfolds with great emotional impact. Along the way, the film to its credit also manages to subvert our expectations about where the story is heading, thereby infusing a freshness into what could otherwise seem very familiar. This is the kind of film that makes you think, makes you feel, and puts you in touch with your own heart. It lingers in you long after you have left the cinema. See more cin L @RT79637172 Jul 9 I couldn’t connect with this film because it felt too idealized for me. While it portrays compassion, family, and kindness in a touching way, I couldn’t stop thinking about the real-world suffering of stray animals that I have learned about. Because of that, the emotional message felt disconnected from reality, and I found it difficult to be moved by the story. I understand why many people love this film, but for me it simply didn’t reflect the world as I see it, so I left feeling disappointed. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 26 The worldwide gross is $266,989,091.00. See more Read all reviews