“Yellow Rose” Film Co-Starring Dale Watson Sets Theatrical Debut
A film co-starring Dale Watson about a 17-year-old Filipino girl with dreams of making it big in country music will finally be making it’s theatrical debut in over 800 theaters on October 9th. Directed by Filipino-American Diane Paragas and distributed by Sony Pictures, Yellow Rose has been a long time coming, first covered here on Saving Country Music back in 2014, and is now earning wide distribution following favorable reviews and numerous awards at film festivals.
Rose Garcia (played by Eva Noblezada) is a sensitive, introspective girl who is teased as “Yellow Rose” for her Filipino heritage mixed with her love of all things traditional country music. Rose Garcia finds solace in the music, and spends her nights studying classic country, practicing guitar, and writing country songs.
One night rose slips into a honky tonk in Austin where she meets Jimmy Redburn (played by Dale Watson). When Rose’s mother is picked up by immigration agents, Rose flees the scene to try and save her mom and herself by pursuing her country music dreams. Anxious to rekindle his own country music career, and surprised by the talent of Rose Garcia, Jimmy Redburn decides to take the young girl under his wing.
Yellow Rose has already received some 13 awards, and currently holds an 8.67 out of 10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Austin Chronicle saying, “If left in less deft hands, the film could’ve teetered into a too-on-the-nose commentary on America’s current immigration debate. However, the lean screenplay and Paragas’ focused creative vision makes for a singular directorial feature debut that feels like nothing else happening in film right now.”
Eva Noblezada sings her own parts in the film, and is a Tony Award nominee in her performance in Miss Saigon in 2014. Austin landmarks such as The Broken Spoke also make it into the film.
Often film projects either centered around or involving cool country artists are rumored or announced, but it seems rare they actually get made, or when they do, that they’re worth paying attention to, or receive wide distribution. Yellow Rose might be one of the rare exceptions.
September 8, 2020 @ 8:28 am
“Yellow” Rose? Oh, I get it. Racial slur as pun, as the title of a movie about an Asian person in country music? Yikes.
FYI, coincidentally, there was another “fish out of water foreign girl dreams of being a country music star” movie that came out in 2018 called “Wild Rose” (I guess any movie about country music with a female lead needs the word “rose” in the title).
Gotta say, it was really good. Can’t recommend it enough. Takes place in Scotland and, not to spoil it, also features a few high profile cameos by some current country darlings.
September 8, 2020 @ 8:35 am
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed “Wild Rose”.
September 8, 2020 @ 8:42 am
Since it was written and directed by a Filipino American, hopefully there is no issues with the title. Instead, it should be taken as an important lesson and illustration.
September 8, 2020 @ 8:56 am
Alright, I just watched the trailer. Looks well produced for sure, but can its virtue signal be any stronger?
I’ll watch it, because I love movies about music and musicians, but the trailer makes it look primarily like a morality tale about race – not music.
Intentional or not, looks like another attempt by mainstream media to politicize, weaponize, and bend country music to its will – to spin a false straw-man narrative to make the genre look as ugly as possible while promoting the idea that only a messianic individual from a minority ethnic group can save the genre’s soul (Lil Nas X, anybody?). Like, who is the intended audience of this movie? Guessing it’s not country music fans.
September 8, 2020 @ 9:17 am
Who didn’t see this comment coming?
I don’t disagree with you about the copious amount of virtue signaling in media, especially after 2016. But here’s an angle for you that might help you calm down: This critique of policy (even if it is that, and not just a backdrop to the story), was planned during the Obama administration…Go get em!
September 8, 2020 @ 9:35 am
Jake,
First, ultimately, I don’t care what the movie is about since the movie maker can and should do what they like, but an ongoing and worthwhile topic of discussion here is how country music is represented in the mainstream media and to a wide non-country audience.
Second, unless the trailer is misrepresenting the movie entirely, it looks like it’ll be entirely or at least in major part about race and immigration, with country music as the backdrop. When discussing the movie, should we just ignore that angle entirely?
Third, race and immigration have been prominent topics of concern in American politics for decades and certainly since (and during) the Obama administration. The fact that the movie began production during the Obama administration is negligible, but the fact that it was picked up recently by a major studio for distribution, Sony, is noteworthy.
Would it have been picked up for wide distribution by Sony if it was simply about the simple joys of country music? Come on. Let’s be real here.
Fourth, like I said, I’ll be watching the movie at some point. Don’t misunderstand me or misrepresent what I’m saying. I like movies. I like music. I like movies with music as a backdrop. I give most movies a fair shake, and I’m sure this one will be worthwhile. I’m calm, friend, trust me.
September 8, 2020 @ 10:21 am
Hex, I have a confession. Reading your second comment I noticed the tone was different than what I was expecting because I confused you with Big Tex.
All good points, and I don’t disagree, just sad that this will become the focal point for some people. The whole topic is actually very interesting. Gillette learned not to virtue signal too hard, and the results in the entertainment and sports industries are still unfolding. Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes was my hero.
September 8, 2020 @ 12:43 pm
Ha, spoiling for a good internet fight? Sorry to disappoint.
Bottom line, I’m down if the movie has good performances, narrative drama, and some heart and soul – no matter wtf it’s about, music, race, immigration, whatever.
September 9, 2020 @ 7:50 pm
Quite a few Filipino-Americans (and actual Filipinos) like country music. Interesting tidbit: If you go to the video for Anne Murray’s “Just Another Woman in Love”, you’ll see that the comment section is filled with Filipinos who fell in love with the song after it was played on a show in the Philippines.
I think that there is exists tremendous potential for a traditional country fan base among Latinos (particularly Mexican-Americans) and to some extent among Asian-Americans as well. The musical and vocal styles, in particular, promise to be very appealing to those groups.
September 9, 2020 @ 9:13 pm
All for it. I’m half Hispanic. Been enjoying Spanish language music since I was a kid, way before I got into country music just a few years ago.
I agree that country music shares sonic/vocal similarities with Spanish language styles of music (and others) and has a lot of crossover potential between ethnic groups and nationalities. There’s already a long history of Mexican-American cross-pollination in country music. As an aside, I’m really enjoying The Mavericks’ new Spanish language album.
But, this isn’t my point. I’m all for organic ethnic diversity within the genre, but my concern is with the biased politics that have been injected into the narrative about the genre by the mainstream media – and it goes without saying that this movie (based on the trailer) seems to be pandering to an audience that responds primarily to those politics rather than the music for its own sake.
FYI – the Oscars have just implemented ethnic diversity quotas and requirements for movies to be considered for awards. In other words, politics over art. It’d be easy to say “who cares?” but when mainstream critical praise for the arts begins to depend more and more on the “correct” politics of the art itself, freedom of expression through art is doomed in the wider culture.
September 9, 2020 @ 9:37 pm
Nothing like hiring based on race and sex to beat racism and sexism. It’s like they never heard of irony or the concept of becoming what you hate.
The funny thing is that 10 years ago we wouldn’t have thought twice about this movie like we never thought twice about Sigourney Weaver in Alien. It just was. Now there’s so much pandering and virtue signaling everything seems forced and phony.
September 10, 2020 @ 7:26 am
“-and it goes without saying that this movie (based on the trailer) seems to be pandering to an audience that responds primarily to those politics rather than the music for its own sake.”
Exactly.
And, by design.
Bless Diane Paragas’ Heart …
September 10, 2020 @ 8:41 am
There’s a reason I chose to highlight the Austin Chronicle’s review of this movie, which states, “the film could’ve teetered into a too-on-the-nose commentary on America’s current immigration debate.However, the lean screenplay and Paragas’ focused creative vision makes for a singular directorial feature debut that feels like nothing else happening in film right now.”
I have not seen the film, but I saw similar things echoed in other reviews. I don’t think this will be a political film. I think this film is about the love for country music and a young girl’s dream, with a side plot dealing with immigration, which for some is a very serious issue in their life.
September 10, 2020 @ 9:10 am
Thanks for the reassurance, Trigger. To avoid spoilers I never read movie reviews before I watch the movies, though I do check the aggregate critic/audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes to make sure I’m not blindly committing to watching a dumpster fire. My opinion, and worry, is simply (and perhaps unfairly) based on the trailer.
Trailers are usually produced outside of the moviemaker’s creative process, by a separate marketing department or a third party trailer house. How many times have we seen a great trailer for a crap movie? Guessing in this case the people who made the trailer just amped up the dramatic points they thought would best sell the movie in this particular political climate.
Similarly, anybody see the movie Queen and Slim? I haven’t, but I remember from the trailer that Sturgill Simpson plays a racist trigger-happy cop who gets his comeuppance by the principle actors. I mean, how on the nose can we get in this climate?
September 10, 2020 @ 9:45 am
Am very Blessed to have several friends who have immigrated to the U.S. from different areas of the world.
These friends are gainfully employed. They pay taxes. Several have now obtained U.S. citizenship.
There is a point being made in some of the discussions.
You are making yours. And, that is good.
My heart goes out to EVERY human being, around the globe.
But the U S. simply cannot continue to pay the bill, for the hundreds of thousands (That figure is probably well into the 7 digits) of people who are in this country illegally.
I sincerely hope this film is balanced.
I like the lead actresses singing in the trailer.
And, good on Dale, for getting more exposure.
October 12, 2020 @ 1:15 am
I agree with the concerns expressed here. And while I do feel the film veers a little more into immigration debate than it needs to, it does focus primarily on the music and a young girl’s love of it. And, as mentioned, hopefully great exposure for Dale.
FYI, for those that didn’t know, it features two actress/singers, one Filipino, one FIlipino-American, who starred in the lead role in “Miss Saigon”, 25 years apart. Both extraordinary musical talents, which I think helps the film remain grounded in the music.
September 8, 2020 @ 9:46 am
Dale Watson is in it. Good enough reason to see it. Hopefully he makes some money off this one. Hes been in a bunch of B- List films over the years and some haven’t been released in the US, strangely enough. The fact that this one is semi-mainstream is miraculous. I will see this one, oh yes.
September 8, 2020 @ 9:59 am
Hey, he was in The Thing Called Love, that one did pretty well.
September 8, 2020 @ 11:38 am
Thing Called Love. Didn’t know he was in it. Hes not listed in the movie credits at all. The IMBD listing did say he was an extra and was “Dale The Guitar Player”. Any idea what scene hes in?
There is one scene where Phoenix is playing that Patty Loveless song and there’s a guitar player with him that doesn’t look like Dale. Maybe its super young Dale and I don’t recognize him?
Still, even if hes in there, its a bit part cameo. Yellow Rose is a lead role, this is big time for Dale.
September 8, 2020 @ 1:17 pm
He was the guitarist in Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s band who hands River Phoenix the lyric sheet to “Blame It On Your Heart”. It was a very convincing performance, he probably should have won an Oscar.
September 10, 2020 @ 12:32 am
It looks well made and it looks like it is entertaining. I will watch it when it is available.
September 10, 2020 @ 5:45 am
They are going to regret the title.
September 10, 2020 @ 8:42 am
Well, anyone who criticizes it will have a hell of a time explaining how the Filipino woman who wrote and directed it is a racist.
September 11, 2020 @ 12:24 pm
You don’t have to be a racist to make a poor judgment about topically sensitive issues. The title will overshadow the movie. If I made a sensitive and intelligent movie called “Middle aged Honkey” it would definitely kill the buzz.
September 10, 2020 @ 10:38 am
“Yellow Rose of Texas” is a pretty canonical country song recorded by everyone from Elvis to Willie Nelson. Somewhat bizarrely, it was a smash #1 pop hit in the 50’s for Mr. Sing-Along–and legendary recording executive and Sinatra nemeis–Mitch Miller.
The original song–which was written pre-Civil War–was actually sung by a “darky”–per the lyrics–who was in love with a Filipino, but the later versions were sanitized and non-controversial–until now, apparently.
September 14, 2020 @ 12:39 pm
I’m pretty sure that when old timey songs use the word “yellow” to refer to a woman, they were talking about a light skinned African-American woman. (Obviously it’s also a racial slur about Asians, independently of that, but a bunch of the old songs that referred to yellow gals was about light skinned black women)
October 12, 2020 @ 1:17 am
While I do feel the film veers a little more into immigration debate than it needs to, it does focus primarily on the music and a young girl’s love of it. And, as mentioned, hopefully great exposure for Dale.
FYI, for those that didn’t know, it features two actress/singers, one Filipino, one FIlipino-American, who starred in the lead role in “Miss Saigon”, 25 years apart. Both extraordinary musical talents, which I think helps the film remain grounded in the music.