Watch The Beautiful Country

The Beautiful Country is a 2004 drama film directed by Norwegian Hans Petter Moland. Set in the 1990s, it tells the story of Binh, a young man from rural Vietnam who embarks on a dangerous and emotional journey in search of his father. Binh, played by Damien Nguyen, works hard in the rice fields alongside his mother and grandfather, but dreams of a better life. He is considered a "bui doi," or outcast, because his father is an American GI who abandoned him and his family after the Vietnam War. When Binh learns that his mother is dying, he decides to search for his father and take him back to Vietnam so that she can pass away peacefully.

Binh's journey takes him from his small village to Saigon, where he takes a job with a shady employer and falls in love with a prostitute named Ling, played by Bai Ling. Ling becomes Binh's ally and guide, helping him navigate the dangers and corruption of the city. At the same time, Binh encounters a number of other people like himself, struggling to survive on the margins of society. He befriends a mute boy who lives in the sewers and a group of Cambodian refugees hiding from the authorities.

The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Binh and Ling eventually make it to America, where Binh is immediately confronted with racism, xenophobia, and poverty. He works long hours in grueling conditions at a shrimp farm, while Ling drifts away from him and becomes addicted to drugs. Meanwhile, Binh's search for his father becomes increasingly desperate and dangerous as he finds himself in the crosshairs of a violent gang of Vietnamese immigrants.

Throughout the film, Moland uses stunning cinematography to capture the beauty and brutality of the landscapes and cultures that Binh experiences. His journey is both physical and emotional, as he grapples with the legacy of the war and the difficult choices that generations of Vietnamese have had to make.

The performances in The Beautiful Country are excellent, particularly Nguyen's portrayal of Binh as a sensitive and determined young man grappling with intense emotions. Ling is also a standout as the complex and troubled prostitute who serves as Binh's love interest and motivator.

Overall, The Beautiful Country is a powerful and poetic film that tells a story of resilience, heartbreak, and redemption. It explores themes of identity, exile, and the human cost of war in a way that is both specific to Vietnam and universal in its resonance. Moland succeeds in capturing both the beauty and the pain of Binh's journey, and in crafting a film that is both moving and thought-provoking.

The Beautiful Country is a 2004 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 64.