Watch Journey from the Fall

Journey from the Fall is a 2006 film that explores the story of the Vietnamese refugees who fled their country after the Vietnam War. It is a powerful narrative that tells the story of a family's journey to escape the country and their difficult path towards the hope of freedom. The story starts in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon when the newly formed communist government starts a campaign to purge the country of intellectuals, students, and professionals. The Trần family is one of the victims of this campaign, and they face persecution and violence at the hands of the government. Their son, Long, is imprisoned while their daughter Van is forced to abandon her academic dreams to work for the government.

The family decides to take the dangerous journey to escape from the country to the United States. They have to overcome a series of challenges both physical and bureaucratic. The journey is long and arduous, and several members of the family lose their lives on the way. The ones who make it to the US have to adapt to a new country that is unfamiliar to them in every way.

As they try to rebuild their lives, they face challenges from within their community. They have to come to terms with the fact that they are far from their homeland and have lost everything that was familiar to them. They also have to fight against prejudice and discrimination from some Americans who view them as a threat to their way of life.

Kieu Chinh plays the role of the family matriarch who struggles to hold the family together. She is the glue that keeps the family from falling apart. In one of the most powerful scenes of the movie, she confronts the family's youngest son, who has grown disillusioned with life in the new country. The scene portrays the generational gap between the first and second-generation immigrants and highlights the difficulties of assimilation.

Long Nguyen brings depth and intensity to his portrayal of the character Long. He portrays the character with great sensitivity and a sense of shared responsibility for his family's welfare. He is determined to protect them and to build a new life for them in the United States.

Diem Lien, who plays Van, gives a powerful performance as a daughter who has to sacrifice her dreams for the sake of her family. She displays great resilience in adapting to the new country and becomes a symbol of hope for the family.

Director Ham Tran's experience as a Vietnamese-American who grew up in the US imbues the film with authenticity and nuance. The film paints a picture of the Vietnamese refugee experience that is both unique and universal. It is a story of loss, struggle, and hope that resonates across cultures and generations.

The film is shot in a beautiful and evocative style. The cinematography captures the stark beauty of the journey that the refugees have to take. The soundtrack, which features traditional Vietnamese music, complements the visuals and heightens the emotional intensity of the story.

In conclusion, Journey from the Fall is a powerful and moving film that tells the story of the Vietnamese refugee experience with sensitivity and nuance. The performances of the cast, coupled with the director's experience as a Vietnamese-American, make this an authentic and powerful portrayal of a difficult journey. The film serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Journey from the Fall is a 2005 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 70.