How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024): The Standard Asian Family Experience
Written by Cia (Kru’22)
Respect, riches, offering.
These pillars hold together every Asian family you know, and in just over two hours, somehow, this film captures all of those complexities in such a respectful, natural way.
It starts off with an unemployed young adult, M, living with his single mother. Desperate to grasp any kind of riches, he settles on caring and living with his grandmother, whom he calls Amah, after knowing she has cancer, hoping to inherit her house. While caring for her, his once selfish goals slowly turn into genuinity. As he seeps into her everyday world, he finally sees how she lives her simple life, contrasting her not-so-simple family struggles. Her out of touch, greedy, and rich first-born, the selfless and overworked middle child, and the last child with overwhelming debt. The dynamic that these three and their mother have moves M into a deeper sense of gratitude and maturity.
Watching this movie almost feels like an extension of our own lives, the way it blends patriarchy, greed, and status all into a heart-wrenching reality, especially in Asia, feels lowkey like a read on our own families. Seeing all the hardworking women in this movie just getting ‘scraps’ for their life, shunned and forgotten. Leaving their education to lift the burden of family making, but then forgotten and left by the men who pushed them into that situation, putting the blame on them for the system that men made. Seeing all the trash men getting the best treatment, getting so many passes on not being present in the family, robbing their already struggling mother, or being so nonchalant and confident even when they’re unemployed, bringing nothing to the table.
This layered and heartwarming story is also encased by beautiful and thoughtful art direction. Amah’s house in itself has many gems like her traditional stove, mosquito net bed, and various old furniture. Filled with clutter and expired food, but also has neat parts like her front bench area, the persimmon tree, and the shrine, to symbolize what she prioritizes. Shots of the local area, fairs, traditional markets, contrast with the neat suburbs of her first son’s house also shows a noticeable separation between their worlds. Every angle of this film was well thought out and really builds up the narrative.
One more thing to point out is the amazing scriptwriting. Every line and delivery was immaculate and well played by the actors. Subtle choices like the wording really paints the slightly cold, yet thoughtful acts and thoughts we’re used to in our families. The chemistry and sweetness Amah and M have, mixed with M’s cheeky humor, and Amah’s ‘no bullshit’ approach, makes for a delightful interaction that leaves you speechless, instantly sticks in your brain.
And, as cringe or “in your face” as it sounds, I really want to highlight the word ASIAN in this review. This movie captures the “Asian” experience to a tee, and I can’t state that enough. The awkward barriers we put up, especially around family, the passionate and hard-working cultures we continue to participate in, the toxic yet heartwarming sacrifices, the harshness thrown to people with lack of status and wealth, so many layers of emotion and history, and somehow the film can condense that to just a couple shots and a few lines. Even the buildup and conclusion was done in such a realistic way, it feels like it was just a part of your life. When the movie stops, I feel like they share this space with me. It feels like they’re just continuing on with their life, in our world. So familiar and close, it feels like they’re just pushing the life we always run away from, right in front of our faces.
It’s always complicated when family is involved. It’s always bittersweet.
It’s always awkward.
Because they’re the only people who saw your every development, the people who saw most of your flaws, more than anyone else. Almost like they’re part of you, combined into you. Noticeable, yet so familiar, that you forget they’re even there.
The ones that sacrificed the most, but talked the least. Your first place.
Don’t forget to hug your loved ones tight after reading this. Just like this film hugged and tugged on your heartstrings.
