This was a lovely little movie that reminded me a lot of many of the friends and family and even neighborhood I knew growing up as a kid of an immigrant parent my self, albeit from a neighboring Caribbean island and in Milwaukee. I thought focusing on the father’s experience of seeing his neighborhood gentrifying right in front of him and the part he plays in it was pretty profound. I also loved his relationship with his wife. But I’m even more appreciative of the inclusion of his son Junior’s perspective as a second-generation “immigrant” whose pushing to live a life his parents can’t quite wrapped their heads around, let alone support, particularly his dad. While I didn’t experience that exactly, I’ve felt similarly at various points in my life and definitely connected to his story. Anyway, wonderful movie and I will be left with the haunting image of Xavier touring his former dream home in preparation for its demolition to make way for a McMansion.
This was a lovely little movie that reminded me a lot of many of the friends and family and even neighborhood I knew growing up as a kid of an immigrant parent my self, albeit from a neighboring Caribbean island and in Milwaukee. I thought focusing on the father’s experience of seeing his neighborhood gentrifying right in front of him and the part he plays in it was pretty profound. I also loved his relationship with his wife. But I’m even more appreciative of the inclusion of his son Junior’s perspective as a second-generation “immigrant” whose pushing to live a life his parents can’t quite wrapped their heads around, let alone support, particularly his dad. While I didn’t experience that exactly, I’ve felt similarly at various points in my life and definitely connected to his story. Anyway, wonderful movie and I will be left with the haunting image of Xavier touring his former dream home in preparation for its demolition to make way for a McMansion.
