Yellow Rose (I) (2019)
7/10
Love Letter to Country Written By a Middle Schooler
21 October 2020
"You can take the roof from over my head, but you can't take my freedom away. No I won't go quietly into the night and I'll sing till the light of day."

This movie should be used as an example. It showcases a good story that's entertaining to watch, but the writing is the most basic script they could write. I found myself struggling with Yellow Rose. The story is solid and everything is pretty good. The writing just feels like a joke. I started playing a game in my head on what would be said in the upcoming scene and I'm pretty sure I won. With the poor writing the movie became increasingly predictable. That being said, the movie is good, but there needed to be more time and thought put into the script.

Eva Noblezada really drives the movie. This is her film debut and she's perfect for the lead. Her experience on stage helped her prepare for the screen. And as a beautiful singer it's great to hear her voice. Rather than hiring a popular celebrity (and maybe someone to sing for them) choosing an already established singer was the right thing to do. The movie is emotional and Noblezada brings the emotion. As a whole, the ensemble does a good job with acting, with the exception of one or two lackluster performances. I'd recognize Lea Solonga, Princess Punzalan, Dale Watson, and Libby Villari.

Since the movie is rooted around music, it does feature original songs. Dale Watson, the country singer, wrote songs to be performed by both him and Noblezada. I personally enjoyed the songs, even if I don't like country as much. But that's what this movie is: a love letter to country. Maybe not as strong as some other movies dealing with the choice of music but it aims to be there. One of my main concerns going in was one of my favorite movies of last year Wild Rose. Obviously the titles are very similar, but the both deal with a lead character, both with the firsts name Rose, wanting to become a country star. Luckily, Yellow Rose doesn't follow the same plot. It focuses more on topic of illegal immigrants and the drama that comes with that. The message is clear but just not as strong as it could be due to the writing. I could talk about all the good but it will always come back to the writing. I like the movie and I will revisit it in the future. This won't be for everyone, either because of the shallowness, country music, or an ending that feels incomplete. I'd still recommend it as an emotional yet feel-good type of movie.
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