There are films that seek to entertain, and then there are films like Rosemead (2025), which seek to demand our attention through a lens of unflinching, localized reality. Directed by Eric Lin and written by Marilyn Fu, this production from The Population, LA Times Studios, and Untapped is a sobering crime drama that premiered to significant acclaim at the 2025 Tribeca Festival. After a qualifying run in late 2025, the film expanded into a wider U.S. theatrical release on January 16, 2026, distributed by Vertical.
The film is inspired by a 2017 Los Angeles Times article by Frank Shyong, which chronicled a harrowing true story within the San Gabriel Valley. Lucy Liu stars as Irene Chao, a widowed Taiwanese immigrant running a small print shop while battling terminal cancer. Her life is a quiet struggle of endurance, but her primary concern is not her own mortality: it is her teenage son, Joe (Lawrence Shou). Joe is descending into the grip of worsening schizophrenia, and as his behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent, Irene is forced to confront a terrifying possibility. She fears that once she is gone, Joe will not just be alone, but will become a perpetrator of the very mass violence he has become obsessed with online. This is a film about the desperate, often misguided lengths a mother will go to when she feels the systems designed to help her have utterly failed.
Story and Screenplay: A Collision of Cultural Stigma and Systemic Failure
The screenplay by Marilyn Fu and Eric Lin is an exercise in "crushing tragedy" that draws its greatest power from its proximity to real events. By rooting the narrative in a true story, the filmmakers avoid the feeling of Hollywood artifice, instead creating a "chilling reminder" of the thin line between a quiet domestic life and a national headline. The story structure is built around a "ticking time bomb" dynamic: as Irene’s health declines, Joe’s mental state deteriorates, and his 18th birthday approaches, a date that will legally strip Irene of her ability to oversee his care.
The film is thematically dense, weaving together a damning indictment of American gun culture with a nuanced exploration of the "model-minority" pressures within immigrant communities. One of the most effective sequences involves Irene visiting a local gun shop to warn the owner not to sell to her son, only to be met with a disturbing sales pitch that treats lethal weapons like toys. Simultaneously, the script delves into the "culture of secrecy and repression" that can permeate Asian American households, where mental illness is sometimes viewed through the lens of spiritual curses or family shame rather than medical necessity.
However, the screenplay is not without its burdens. Some critics have pointed out that the narrative can feel like it is "dramatic piling on," with the protagonist facing widowhood, terminal illness, and a schizophrenic child all at once. While these are the facts of the true story, their presentation in a 97-minute film can occasionally feel like a "check-box" of sociological issues, reminiscent of an "after-school special" in its more prosaic moments. Despite this, the script’s commitment to "candor" and its refusal to offer easy catharsis makes it a standout in the genre.
Acting and Characters: Lucy Liu’s Revelatory Transformation
If Rosemead is remembered for one thing, it will be the "career-redefining" performance of Lucy Liu. Moving far away from the "sexy action star" roles of her past, Liu "deglams" with a fierce intensity to play Irene. She portrays a woman who is physically shrinking under the weight of her illness but remains "quietly resolute" in her mission to protect her son. Liu’s performance is a "verbal wonder," as she seamlessly toggles between a halting, accented English and a fluent, expressive Mandarin, capturing the linguistic and cultural isolation of her character. It is a naturalistic turn that many believe should place her squarely in the Oscar conversation.
Supporting her is newcomer Lawrence Shou, who makes an impressive debut as Joe. Shou manages to make Joe a figure of both sympathy and fear, effectively conveying the "dark, troubling, and desperately lonely place" that is a mind plagued by hallucinations. While some reviewers felt his performance occasionally lacked the nuance of Liu’s, their "tender, protective kind of love" remains the film’s emotional anchor.
The secondary cast provides a solid, if sometimes "stilted," framework for the central duo. James Chen plays Joe’s psychologist, Dr. Hsu, with a "deeply concerned" but ultimately powerless demeanor, while Jennifer Lim offers a poignant look at friendship as Kai-Li, the herbalist who serves as Irene’s only partial confidant. These characters serve to highlight the "insular approach" to trauma within the community, where even those trying to help are often kept at arm’s length by pride and tradition.
Direction and Technical Aspects: Capturing the Heart of a Community
Director Eric Lin, making his feature debut after a successful career as a cinematographer, brings a "vivid" and "seamless" look to the film. Despite much of the film being shot in New York for tax reasons, the final product effectively captures the "look and feel of life in and around Rosemead," California. Lin avoids "hysterics or scaremongering," opting instead for a "straightforward but delicate" delivery that emphasizes the "near-helpless atmosphere" of Irene’s world.
The cinematography by Lyle Vincent helps to establish an "absorbing and thoroughly heartbreaking" visual tone. The film uses a "crepuscular glow" and long portraiture shots to evoke a sense of "vague dread". However, Lin’s use of strobe effects to depict Joe’s schizophrenic episodes received mixed reactions: some found them "jarring" and "heavy-handed" rather than immersive. Editing and sound design work in tandem to pull the audience into Joe’s fractured reality, using "oppressive voices" and "violent imagery" to explain his internal spiral.
Trailer Rosemead (2025)
Music and Atmosphere: The Quiet Weight of Impending Tragedy
The atmosphere of Rosemead is described as "anxiety-ridden" and "oppressive," wrapping the audience in a "sad world" where every element of filmmaking works in synchronicity. The soundscape is particularly notable for how it reflects Joe’s obsession: while Irene tries to "turn off" the news cycle of mass shootings, Joe "turns it up," flooding his room with the horrific details of victims and weapons. This creates a sensory contrast between a mother trying to maintain a "peaceful public front" and a son being consumed by "shadowy figures" and the 24-hour news cycle.
The overall tone is one of "devastating" realism that avoids the "false comfort of silence". The music and score are used sparingly to maintain the "raw" feel of the story, ensuring that the "gut-wrenching, bombshell conclusion" lands with maximum impact. It is a film that "means to shake you," using its atmospheric weight to force a reflection on societal failings.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Career-Best Performance: Lucy Liu delivers an "astounding" and "revelatory" performance that anchors the entire film.
- Thematic Depth: The film offers a "thematically astute" look at the intersection of mental health, immigrant culture, and gun violence.
- Cultural Authenticity: Eric Lin provides an "authentic portrait" of the Asian American experience, avoiding stereotypes or "scaremongering".
- Emotional Honesty: The "devastating" conclusion is earned through a "straightforward but delicate" narrative that refuses to offer easy answers.
Weaknesses:
- Secondary Performances: Some of the supporting roles are described as "stilted" or "prosaic" compared to the leads.
- Narrative Piling: The "confluence of challenges" (cancer, schizophrenia, widowhood) can feel like "unconscionable dramatic piling on" to some viewers.
- Visual Choices: The use of strobe effects to illustrate mental illness was critiqued by some as "jarring" and "heavy-handed".
- Lack of Catharsis: The film’s commitment to realism means it offers "neither remedy nor catharsis," which may be difficult for some audiences.
Final Verdict: A Crucial, Heartbreaking Mirror to Modern America
Rating: 4/5 stars
Rosemead is a "powerful" and "affecting" piece of cinema that succeeds as both a character study and a social critique. It is a "shattering" experience that refuses to look away from the "societal failings" that lead to national tragedies. While the film may occasionally struggle with the "mechanics of an after-school special" or "heavy-handed" visual metaphors, its emotional core is undeniably "real and raw". It is a "mesmerizing portrait" of a mother’s "ultimate—if misguided—expression of love".
This film is a must-watch for "serious viewers" who appreciate "naturalistic" acting and films that tackle "vital and timely issues". Fans of "elevated" dramas like We Need to Talk About Kevin or Dìdi will find Rosemead to be a significant and "relatable" addition to the genre. However, those looking for "wholly depressing" subject matter to avoid or those who require a "redemptive" ending may find the experience too "grim" and "unfulfilled". It is not an easy watch, but it is an "urgent" one that demands we "pay attention" to the "awfulness that is all around us".
Recommendation: This is a high-priority watch for anyone interested in the 2025/2026 awards season. It is a "devastatingly" beautiful film that earns its place among the most authentic portraits of the American immigrant experience ever put to screen.
 Movie Review: A Devastating and Essential Examination of Motherhood, Mental Health, and American Tragedy){kind=link}
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