Little Fish (2006)

Rating: * * * * * (Out of 5)

Brilliant little film from Australia. I like that the Asian male lead and the Asian community are treated as natural parts of the film. A lesser director would feel obligated to explain why there is an Asian character, but credits to Rowan Woods, to present the reality instead of the Hollywood vision of the society.

There is no question that in movieland, Asian males are not accepted as romantic leads. How many western movies can you think of that has Asian male/non Asian female romantic pairing? So, it is refreshing to see Little Fish presents an Asian male/white female couple (or actually an ex-couple).

I love that the film begins almost in the middle of the story. So much has happened before the movie begins, and the omission of it only adds to the depth of the story and our curiosity of the characters.

Cate Blanchett is one of my favorite actors in the world and she is brilliant as usual in the film.

Too bad this gem of a film got practically no marketing and distribution in the US.

My pick of the Netflix comment: "I could not get past the first 10 minutes of this movie. I found it quite dull, I had a difficult time hearing and understanding the actors were saying, and did not like the controversial content even in the first 10 minutes of the movie. "

Those Aussies talk funny.