East Broadway (2006)

Director:

Fay Ann Lee

Writers:

Fay Ann Lee (writer)
Karen Rousso (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Her dream came true when she became someone else.

Plot:

Grace is a Chinese American who longs to be a part of New York's high society. At a socialite event, she is mistaken for a Hong Kong heiress and meets her Prince Charming. Nothing is as it seems absorbing drama. What will happen to this Cinderella when the clock strikes midnight? |

Plot Keywords:

Acceptance | Interracial Romance | Manhattan New York | Chinatown | Struggle

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Gale Harold	...	Andrew Barrington, Jr.
Fay Ann Lee	...	Grace
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Ariemma	...	Control Room Director
Billy Asher	...	Jim
Christine Baranski	...	Bree
Laura Benanti	...	Alexandra
Lewis Black	...	Rob York
Jeff Blumenkrantz	...	Richard
Peter Bron	...	Broker
Leanne Cabrera	...	Seamstress
Natalie Caron	...	Cafe Patron
Wayne Chang	...	Chinese Waiter
Cindy Cheung	...	Kari Mills
Clem Cheung	...	Ba
Fiona Cheung	...	Seamstress
Margaret Cho	...	Janie
Tim Cinnante	...	Bartender
John Cooney	...	Salesperson
Tania Deighton	...	Diane
Laura Derby	...	Janice Douglas
Jennifer Dilley	...	Girl at swim competition
David N. Dinkins	...	Himself
Sal Di Piazza	...	Delivery Man
Steven Drukman	...	Colleague
Kandiss Edmundson	...	Liz
Gretchen Egolf	...	Bridget
Ato Essandoh	...	Jamal
Tim Ewing	...	Jonathan Schwartz
Bobby Flay	...	Himself
Adam Ian Gelfand	...	Bartender
Mikal Saint George	...	Playboy
Ileen Getz	...	Salesperson
Michelle Glick	...	ABBA Dancer
Alex Greene	...	Golfer
Nick Gregory	...	William
Jonathan Hadary	...	Max
Ward Horton	...	Banker
Matt Jade	...	Messenger Service Boy
Ed Jewett	...	Gary
Brian Jose
Randall Duk Kim	...	Mr. Hung
Ken Leung	...	Ming
Jerome Loston	...	French Waiter
Stephanie March	...	Kay
Darryl Meadows
Tanda Mercer	...	Restaurant / Bar Patron (as Tanda)
Martha Millan	...	Elizabeth
Garett R. Nadrich	...	Dinner Guest
Robert Perillo	...	Admissions Clerk
Sarah Rafferty	...	Catherine
Roger Rees	...	Barrington Sr.
Robert Rickenbaker
Stephen Rinkacs	...	Waiter
Kali Rocha	...	Carla
Gregory Scarnici	...	Stock Brocker
Steve Sirkis	...	Stock Broker
Elizabeth Sung	...	Ma
John Walsh	...	Clark Douglas
Stephanie Wang	...	Dr. Takashi
Monica West	...	Girl Behind the Counter
Nicole Wilson	...	ABBA Dancer
Virginia Wing	...	Mrs. Hung
Johnny Francis Wolf	...	Dancer in Ballroom / Man on Stairs / Stand-in for Gale Harold
Keo Woolford	...	Butler
Debora Yung	...	Factory Waif

Also Known As:

Falling for Grace (USA) (new title)
Social Grace (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Off Hollywood Pictures

FALLING FOR GRACE is a satisfyingly fun, enjoyable entertaining movie by anyone, and more

Visit the official website "fallingforgrace.com" and check out the trailer to see for yourself - you will want to go see this movie.

'Falling for Grace' is very much as New York City as Woody Allen's cinematic world. The sound of the metro and the CANAL Street Pictures - the very first image on screen already gives one the New York and Chinatown feeling. If you've been to New York and its Chinatown, there are plenty of NYC locale hints you may recognize - but not a prerequisite. The film's original title is "East Broadway" for the Tribeca Film Festival 2006 entry, hence it's definitely New York, New York. The opening credit roll simply fascinates me: the thoughts behind it having each actor's name with Chinese character translations briskly displaying (equal opportunity whether Asian or not) and the Chinese film title playfully appearing like 'falling' for grace: "Sub Mein Ling Lone" - meaning "in every way refined." Refined being cultivated, polished, elegant, well-conceived. This film with its story, dialog, production details and effort behind it all, is very much 'every way refined.'

You might say the script is ambitious - written by director-producer Fay Ann Lee, who's also in the lead role of Grace Tang - so it is, yet it all comes together unobtrusively as you watch and follow the story unfolds, bringing smiles, chuckles, laughter and tears along the way. The dialog, including the Cantonese portions with easy-read subtitles, are well thought out and timely. Yes, coming out from Margaret Cho (the elegant side we get to see), the word "Jesus" can very well be the most endearingly delivered sound you'd ever heard. So a romantic comedy it is, with hints of political viewpoint on 'sweat shop' vs. big business intertwined, and family values, Chinese traditions rolled into one entertaining movie. A tall order and Fay Ann Lee and team delivered: with Gale Harold as Andrew, and wonderful supporting roles by Clem Cheung as Ba and Elizabeth Sung as Ma - the parents, Ken Leung as Ming the brother, even brief ones like Christine Baranski's 'emotional' line to son Andrew, and Ato Essandoh's Jamal quote so casually uttered at Central Park, "It's better to be disliked for what you are, than to be loved for something that you are not" - it's delightful.

Had waited a year for the film to debut in San Francisco. It was exciting when I first saw the theatrical trailer on screen at Sundance Kabuki two weeks before July 20 - I love it. The trailer is available for repeated 'play again' on Myspacetv.com ("www.myspace.com/fallingforgracemovie"). The catchy song "wonderful crazy" from Katelyn Tarver sure captures the spirit of this film, and it can be heard on both the official site of "East Broadway" ("www.eastbroadwaythemovie.com") and "Falling for Grace" ("www.fallingforgrace.com"): "it's so wonderful crazy, it's so beautiful out of control, kinda scary amazing …cos my life's so wonderful, crazy, crazy, crazy." The official site includes info on the team's trip to China, visit to Tsinghua University in Beijing and the original "Shanghai Tang" in Hong Kong.

It's been worth the wait. "Falling For Grace" is essentially a heartwarming and satisfying romantic comedy, cliché to some or not, it is a bold debut feature effort which can pass for a polished 'Hollywood' movie, and that's not bad at all. But being an independent film without big budget promotions, it definitely needs steady support and word of mouth to keep it circulating for wide distribution and successful following. May this be so. Kudos to the filmmakers of "Falling for Grace."