The Home Song Stories (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Tony Ayres

Writer:

Tony Ayres (written by)

Release Date:

23 August 2007 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

How far do you have to journey to find your home?

Plot:

A man remembers his childhood and his mother, a Chinese night club singer who struggled to survive in Australia with her two children.

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Son | Australia | Daughter | Unrequited Love

Awards:

21 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Joan Chen	...	Rose Hong / Hong Meigui
Yuwu Qi	...	Joe
Joel Lok	...	Tom
Irene Chen	...	May
Steven Vidler	...	Bill
Kerry Walker	...	Norma
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gabrielle Chan	...	Winnie
Ferdinand Hoang	...	Bing Guo
Ivy Mak	...	Kim
Pearl Tan	...	Agnes
Haven Tso	...	Wing
Annette Shun Wah	...	Adult May

Also Known As:

Yi (Singapore: Mandarin title)

Runtime:

Germany:103 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

Australia | Singapore

Language:

English | Mandarin | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Canada:14A | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Big & Little Films Pty. Ltd.

Trivia:

Australia's official submission in the Foreign Language Film category for the 80th Academy Awards (2008).

Movie Connections:

Features "The Partridge Family" (1970)

An excellent cast do their best with another story about a selfish mother, written and directed with unwarranted solemnity.

It's almost a shock to see 'Script Editor' amongst the closing credits, because at least half of this pleasant, rather humourless film is a series of stock situations which have already been more economically and interestingly explored in other films about selfish mothers. It's tough for an audience to maintain their interest in a central character who cares only about herself, but two thrids of the way through this ghastly woman's journey, the main focus switches to her children, and there are scenes of poignant, painful truth which have undeniable clout. The script and direction tend to self-importance, but the cast (especially Steven Vidler) is excellent, but the costume design, as in so many period Australian films, is superficial and self-conscious.