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The Home Song Stories Photos

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Movie Info

Rose Hong (Joan Chen) is a Hong Kong nightclub singer who emigrates to Australia with her sailor husband, Bill (Steven Vidler), and her two children, May (Irene Chen) and Tom (Joel Lok). The couple's relationship is doesn't last long, but they attempt to reconcile after several years, and Rose and the kids move into Bill's home outside Melbourne. The volatile and needy Rose has affairs and attempts suicide, and though her children stick around, they can't get back their innocence.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

Chinese
Director:

Tony Ayres
Producer:

Michael McMahon, Liz Watts
Writer:

Tony Ayres
Release Date (Streaming):

Nov 24, 2009
Runtime:

1h 43m
Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Cast & Crew

Joan Chen

Joel Lok
Tom

Irene Chen
May

Qi Yuwu
Joe

Steven Vidler
Bill

Kerry Walker
Norma

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The Home Song Stories

All Critics (5) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (5)

A finely chiseled drama about an unstable Chinese mother struggling to reconcile her desires with her children's needs in early '70s Australia, The Home Song Stories speaks bittersweet truths about life in the Chinese diaspora.

August 25, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Richard Kuipers
Variety
Joan Chen gives a harrowing performance...

June 2, 2020 | Full Review…

David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
Whether you walk out of the theater hating, loving, or sympathizing for the director's mother, Stories succeeds in enabling you to see through the eyes of an angry, confused little boy

May 27, 2008 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

Brian Chen
Filmcritic.com
At its core, The Home Song Stories evokes painful memories, but also brings about the notion of forgiveness, remembering and honouring those memories.

September 15, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

ScreenAnarchy
My favourite Australian film of the year so far ... a cathartic memoir, a love story and a tribute to his unfathomable butterfly mother.

August 20, 2007 | Full Review…

Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

View All Critic Reviews (5)

Audience Reviews for The Home Song Stories

Aug 01, 2007

I went to the premiere of this film and it was possibly one of the best Australian films I've ever seen. It was extremely well acted - Joan Chen is a dream. At the start we were all laughing our heads off, and by the end there was not a dry eye in the house. A very moving and sad true story.

Robert F Super Reviewer