I love films that feature characters in situations that are seemingly different than you would normally expect. This kind of thing happens often in the real world when dealing with the music industry. The latest film, Yellow Rose stars two-time Tony Award® nominee Eva Noblezada in her feature film debut, award-winning country music artist Dale Watson, Princess Punzalan and Tony Award®-winner and Grammy®-nominee Lea Salonga with director Diane Paragas at the helm. Could this film use music to heal or will it fail to hit the right note?  

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Yellow Rose follows a Filipina teen from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while having to decide between staying with her family or leaving the only home she has ever known. Going into this film I thought it was going to be laser focused on the country music aspect, but there was so much more to this film than I expected.

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While there is definently a focus on the music the story is actually more focused on this young girl trying to survive as an immigrant and finding her own place in the world. The story takes you on a way to familiar story of today of these people just wanting to make a better life for themselves but due to the circumstances they have been put in feels like it’s always an uphill battle. This allows Noblezada to bring a character to life that is relatable and one you truly sympathize for. She offers up a great performance and carries this movie through all the ups and downs.

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The rest of the cast are good as well with an unlikely connection to the world of country music. One of the things I loved was the un-Hollywood like approach to the story and step away from the tropes that are used more often than not. Sure there are other films out there like this, but it just felt fresh and new thanks to the infusion of the culture and music clash along with the trials of immigration and loss. There is so much more here than expected all wrapped up in a nice bow of music and life.

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The film is depressing at times, heavy, joyful, inspirational and everything in between and just works. I was really surprised in the best way possible to the originality and depth of this film that I just thought was going to be a fish out of water story in the music industry and instead is life itself.

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Decide for yourself and grab your copy of Yellow Rose available now On Demand, Digital, Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Home Entertainment.