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Tough Love

2005 · 87 min

A harrowing, emotionally draining journey that immerses you in suffering and loss, offering little relief but a raw, human portrait of survival.

Directed by
Frank A. Caruso
Genres
Crime
Overview
This is a semi-autobiographical story of Tina, a Vietnamese woman who seeks freedom in America during the first wave of the "boat people" exodus. During a horrendous month - long journey from Vietnam to Hong Kong in a small, flimsy boat, Tina, her husband and their 6 month old child had to endure tremendous hardships. Their craft, loaded down with 40 refugees, was attacked twice by pirates, who took all their money and belongings. They also managed to survive a violent storm which almost destroyed their craft. Their 6 month old son was not so lucky, however, and died of exposure. Penniless, and devastated by the loss of her son, she makes her way to the west coast of Canada, where she realizes that the "American Dream" is not at all what's it's made out to be. What happens when the American dream turns into a nightmare?
How it feels
Bleak, melancholic, tense and earnest. Measured and needs your attention.
About
Survival, grief, immigration, isolation
Content
Strong violence. Mild gore, sexual content and language.
Note
Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
Frank A. Caruso
Genres
Crime
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown
Tone
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Era
period
Audience
adult
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action4
Horror3
Humour1
Realism8
Romance2
Tension7
Darkness8
Complexity5
Emotional weight9

Where to watch in the US

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Rent or buy
  • Amazon Video
  • Apple TV Store

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
crime
Directed by
Frank A. Caruso
Runtime
87 min
Country
United States of America

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