Rose Garcia's (Eva Noblezada) dream is to be a country singer someday. But that dream seems to be impossible for an immigrant like her. So inside her little room, while wearing a cowboy hat, she sings a song about belonging.
The 17-year-old Filipina-American teen lives with her widowed mother, Priscilla (Princess Punzalan). Priscilla dreams of a better life for her daughter. So she works hard as a cleaner in a small-town Texas motel. The place where they also lived.
Being an undocumented immigrant, Priscilla is very protective of Rose. She is afraid that one-day, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will find them and deport them back to the Philippines. Taking away Rose's only chance to experience a better life.
One day, Rose and her friend, Elliot (Liam Booth), drive down to a bar in Austin to party. At that moment, Rose finally feels like a real teenager.
But circumstances have their way of twisting fate. That night, Priscilla got arrested by ICE agents.
Distraught by her mother's arrest, Rose stayed with her Aunt Gail (Lea Salonga). However, Gail's husband is disdainful towards the young girl, forcing her to seek shelter elsewhere. With nowhere to go, she decided to go back to the bar in Austin. There she meets the musician Dale Watson, who takes her in as his protégé.
As Rose's dream starts to take shape, the gravity of her situation worsens. Priscilla's appeal to stay in the US seems hopeless. That means Rose might get deported soon, along with her mother.
"Yellow Rose" is a little short to allow the message to take flight. Some scenes feel redundant and unnecessary. And there are issues about the representation of some characters.
But despite all these, "Yellow Rose" remains strong and steady.
Rose's story is unlike any others. Every day is a question mark about safety and security. And Paragas makes sure that the viewers feel it too. That is why after happy moments, she takes everyone back to Priscilla. As a reminder of the big picture.
"Yellow Rose" is an outright commentary on Trump's war on immigrants. Authorities treat illegal immigrants like criminals. They even took their names and restricted them to any rights. It represents how the government oppresses the minority.
The film marks the feature film debut of Eva Noblezada. Eva shines in both acting and singing. The Grammy Award winner is a force not to reckon with as Rose. Supporting her are two Filipinos: Princess Punzalan and Lea Salonga. Both showed great talents and heart, but they are a little underused.
In summary, "Yellow Rose" is a must-see movie for every Filipino. It tells a rare story that very few films dare to tackle. Check it out now!
3/5
