Life can be a cruel mistress sometimes. One moment she welcomes you like the warm embrace you remember from your mother as a child. The next thing you know you are facing off against the varying degrees of life’s hurricanes and tornadoes, praying to God that you can survive this season and make it onto the next. Sometimes life brings us the hardest decisions that break your heart at just the mere thought.

For me, I had one of those moments not but a year ago. My wife and I were planning to move to the area we are in now. It meant leaving the life behind that we had made for ourselves in Pennsylvania. For me, it meant leaving behind one of my best friends. Unfortunately for him, he was the last person to know. The two of us were doing a convention together and I asked him to step outside so I could share the news.

Sometimes we overthink the insanity a bit much. We analyze the darkness a bit too closely. What I’ve learned, six months after moving, is that it’s only distance. Though if 2020 has taught me nothing else, it’s how to be grateful about how life changes. For me, rough means saying goodbye to a friend with a hundred miles in between us. That’s like an afterthought compared to what others endure. The new film, Yellow Rose, depicts the divorce between a mother and daughter when her mother’s status as a American citizen is challenged. The daughter, Rose (Eva Noblezada), faces a labyrinth of challenges to establish a new life for herself in a newly emancipated state. 

In a year of cultural awareness and a rising “woke” culture, we need a movie like Yellow Rose to place into perspective the struggles, fears, and culture of the Latinx community. The emotionally intense nature of the film immediately makes Yellow Rose one of the most important films of the year. From its narrative to its acting, this film holds nothing back. It is fearless in just about every way imaginable. Noblezada is the young actress who leads the charge of this movie with brilliance and grace. She is nothing short of incredible. Delivering an Oscar caliber performance, she explores a wide array of emotions sprawled throughout this coming of age story. There are not enough words to praise her performance.

I wish that I could say the same thing for all of the other actors in this movie. Noblezada has a way of just about outshining nearly every co-star. The closest co-star to come within a range of her level would be country veteran Dale Watson, who plays himself in the movie. There are no real complaints about fellow actors, outside of one. Liam Booth portrays the “sort-of” friend to Rose. I specifically phrase it in that way to avoid spoilers. He has got to be the worst part of the movie. Booth just comes across wooden with nearly every line. He feels so out of place with the rest of the movie, as though the rest of the cast is starring in an Academy Award nominated picture and he’s auditioning for a Nickelodeon TV movie. 

Overall, Yellow Rose stands out as not only one of this year’s best films, but equally its most important. The commanding performance of Eva Noblezada elevates this movie into a whole other level of filmmaking. Rose is fearless, bold, and unrelenting in its subject matter. This movie holds nothing back and stands tall because of it. Writer-director Diane Paragas crafts a tale that will bring you to tears and warm your heart multiple times over before credits even roll. Yellow Rose is an Oscar caliber film that needs to be seen.

MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT:  I’ll be honest with you the marketing for this movie was not very well done. The trailers lead viewers to believe they are getting a coming of age story that will showcase a young girl rising to the top in the world of country music. Heck, country music feels like an afterthought in the grand scheme of the film, though country music is used as a means for the main character, Rose, to cope with her circumstances. There is a point, near the end of the film, where she grabs a guitar and says she’s got some stuff to sing about. Without going too much into the film’s narrative, there is a lot placed on this girl mentally. She turns to music to cope. Sometimes with our mental health we just need to find an outlet to release our pain, rage, or depression. Something like music, movies, or video games. Find something that works for you because, in the end, your mental health will thank you.

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by) and more. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Yellow Rose is property of Stage 6 Films. We do not own nor claim any rights. This review was edited by Cam Smith. Yellow Rose is now playing in theaters !

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