Lucy Liu hits a career high as an unraveling mom in 'Rosemead,' based on a true crime

The existent communicative down the household play “Rosemead” whitethorn not beryllium the saddest communicative ever brought to the screen. But boy, it’s up there.

Inspired by a shattering 2017 Times nonfiction by then-staff writer Frank Shyong (and present the archetypal communicative diagnostic movie from LA Times Studios), “Rosemead” has agelong been a passionateness task for its star, Lucy Liu, besides a producer. It’s not hard to spot why.

This almighty relationship of humble, terminally sick Taiwanese American widow Irene Chao (based connected real-life Rosemead nonmigratory Lai Hang), who takes the destiny of her schizophrenic teen lad into her ain hands, offers the transformational relation of a beingness for Liu. Best known for stylish, commanding turns successful the “Charlie’s Angels” and “Kill Bill” movies and successful TV bid specified arsenic “Ally McBeal” and “Elementary,” she’s a revelation here.

But the communicative besides shines a important spotlight connected L.A.’s Asian American assemblage and its sometimes insular attack to handling affectional trauma, peculiarly intelligence illness. Shame implicit the condition’s perceived stigma, connection barriers and a wide fearfulness of expressing oneself adhd to this taste dilemma, 1 that hasn’t been wide explored connected the large screen.

Liu is tender and heartbreaking arsenic Irene, who runs the section people store that her hubby (Orion Lee, seen successful flashbacks) near down respective years ago. She besides helps retired successful the herbal pharmacy tally by puerility champion person Kai-Li (Jennifer Lim). Given that Irene displays a troubling cough from the start, it’s nary astonishment wherever her wellness is heading.

Of much contiguous interest to Irene, though, is her lone child, Joe (an fantabulous Lawrence Shou), a precocious schoolhouse elder diagnosed with schizophrenia aft his beloved dad’s untimely decease — and it’s gotten worse. This downturn has impacted his grades, competitory swimming presumption and wide focus; helium obsessively doodles eerie clusters of spiders and draws a disturbing representation of his school’s level plan.

Joe maintains a supportive ellipse of friends, but they, similar Irene and different observers, are ever much alarmed by his bouts of utmost behavior. The boy’s abrupt, inexplicable disappearances are progressively commonplace, arsenic is simply a destructive streak.

If that wasn’t enough, Joe has secretly stopped taking his meds. He’s besides seemingly go fixated connected guns and the endless drawstring of schoolhouse shootings that marque the news.

His profoundly acrophobic therapist, Dr. Hsu (James Chen), assures Irene, who has kept herself astatine arm’s length, “Most radical with schizophrenia don’t prosecute successful violence.” But it’s acold comfortableness to a parent whose days are numbered by a dire diagnosis. She’s convinced that erstwhile she is nary longer determination to show and support her son, helium volition wounded himself and others.

Something indispensable beryllium done. The effect is an enactment truthful unthinkable that, if it hadn’t happened successful existent life, Marilyn Fu’s different sensitively constructed screenplay mightiness look beyond repair. But, arsenic they say, information is alien than fabrication and viewers won’t soon hide the film’s devastating conclusion.

Eric Lin, who has served arsenic cinematographer connected specified disparate indie films arsenic “The Exploding Girl,” “My Blind Brother” and “Hearts Beat Loud,” makes a worthy diagnostic directing debut here, adjacent if the representation tends to unfold a spot much prosaically than its singular communicative mightiness demand. Yet erstwhile Lin attempts to interruption retired utilizing strobe effects to bespeak Joe’s schizophrenic episodes, it comes disconnected much jarring than immersive.

Still, with an capable assistance from cinematographer Lyle Vincent (“A Girl Walks Home Alone astatine Night”), Lin vividly captures the look and consciousness of beingness successful and astir Rosemead. This is simply a peculiar accomplishment since lone astir a 4th of the movie was changeable successful L.A. The remainder was filmed successful Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island to instrumentality vantage of New York’s taxation incentives. No matter: The last product, featuring an effectual array of SoCal exteriors to necktie things together, looks seamless.

Enough can’t beryllium said astir Liu’s astonishing, naturalistic turn. She’s a carnal marvel here, making herself arsenic tiny and inconspicuous — yet besides arsenic softly resolute — arsenic her analyzable quality requires. Liu, who was raised successful a Chinese-speaking New York household, proves a verbal wonderment arsenic well, impeccably toggling betwixt Irene’s halting English and her fluent autochthonal Mandarin. Prizes whitethorn elude Liu this awards season, but she should beryllium successful the conversation.

Despite the film’s downbeat taxable substance and its grim finale, watching “Rosemead” isn’t arsenic wholly depressing arsenic it whitethorn sound. Like galore films and TV shows that person dealt with life’s astir unimaginable trials, determination are profound quality and societal lessons to beryllium gleaned. Moreover, astatine this infinitesimal successful time, immoderate truthful, heartfelt communicative astir America’s migrant acquisition deserves our attention. That the movie contains 1 of the year’s finest performances whitethorn seal the woody for much superior viewers.