Rosemead Review: True Story Drama Slips Into Melodrama

Bringing a fresh take to stories about cancer or school shootings is no easy feat, especially when so many films have already covered the same ground. Rosemead, an indie drama led by Lucy Liu, tries to carve out its own space but ends up feeling a bit too familiar. While it shines a light on the mental health challenges faced by Asian-Australian families—a topic often left in the shadows—the rest of the film struggles to find its own voice.

Plot: A Family Unravelling

Inspired by real events, the story centres on Irene (Lucy Liu), who’s left to pick up the pieces after her husband’s death. Her son Joe (Lawrence Shou) is hit especially hard, and as his schizophrenia worsens, Irene is also battling cancer. The two drift further apart, with Irene doing her best to keep up appearances for the sake of her son’s reputation in the local community.

Despite support from friends and mental health professionals, Joe’s condition becomes too much for Irene to manage. Cultural expectations make her reluctant to reach out for help, and when she receives devastating news, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Tone and Direction: Too Much to Handle

The real-life tragedy behind Irene and Joe’s story was widely reported at the time. Watching the film, it sometimes feels like the sheer number of hardships thrown at the characters is a bit much—if it were fiction, you’d reckon the writer was taking the mickey. But Rosemead doesn’t shy away from these moments. Director Eric Lin tries to keep things grounded, but the relentless bleakness is hard to shake off, even after the credits roll. Even with a flawless script and top-notch acting, it would be a tough watch.

Unfortunately, the script doesn’t quite hit the mark. Lin and co-writer Marilyn Fu do their best to steer clear of clichés, but the film often slips into territory that feels more like an after-school special. With so many threads to juggle, none get the attention they deserve. The film lingers on the sadness, relying on a sense of looming disaster to keep the tension up, rather than digging deeper into any one issue.

Performances: Mixed Results

Rosemead sometimes feels like it was made to give Lucy Liu a shot at an Oscar. She’s better here than in some of her past roles, especially as things ramp up towards the end. When the pressure’s on, you can see she’s really feeling it. But in the first half, her performance is a bit too flat, which makes some of the more emotional scenes come off as forced. It ends up feeling a bit melodramatic, not unlike something you’d catch on daytime telly.

Lawrence Shou, on the other hand, is a real standout. He manages to portray Joe’s struggles with schizophrenia without falling into stereotypes, bringing a sense of humanity to the role. Even when the script lets him down, he gives Joe a depth that’s hard to ignore. The supporting cast, including Orion Lee and James Chen, don’t get enough screen time to make much of an impact, and while Madison Hu has a few good moments, there’s not enough there to really connect with her character. As the film goes on, it narrows its focus to just Liu and Shou, which ends up working against it.

Is It Worth a Look?

In the end, Rosemead is a film with its heart in the right place, aiming to tackle important issues that often get swept under the rug. But the true story it’s based on is simply too much to squeeze into a single film. Trying to cover so many heavy topics in just ninety minutes doesn’t give the audience a chance to catch their breath. Without enough time or nuance to explore each idea, the film ends up feeling like it’s chasing awards rather than offering something truly new.

Rosemead opens on 5 December 2025, distributed by Vertical.