Short Film Review: “American Daydream” – Love, Sacrifice, Personal Desires and Family Obligations.

Set against the vibrant yet challenging backdrop of New York’s Chinatown “American Daydream” tells a poignant story of love, sacrifice, and the complex bonds that tether us to family.

Written and directed by Ziyu Luo, this short film centres on the life of a young Chinese-American resident doctor who finds herself at a crossroads. She is torn between chasing her dreams of acting in Los Angeles or remaining by the side of her undocumented immigrant mother, who has come to rely on her for survival in the U.S. This is the dilemma at the centre of this well-written and put-together emotional narrative

The film opens with Chen Hui (played by Yan Cui) pacing anxiously, waiting for her daughter Marilyn (played by Jessica Lee) to arrive and help translate at a critical immigration meeting. Chen’s anxiety is palpable, and when Marilyn finally shows up, it’s clear she’s already frustrated, yet she dutifully steps in to assist her mother. This early scene sets the tone for the film, establishing the heavy burden Marilyn carries as both a daughter and a caretaker.

As the story unfolds, we learn that Marilyn, though a successful doctor, harbours dreams of becoming an actor. A passion that requires her to move to Los Angeles leaving behind her mother in Chinatown. This conflicts with her mother’s over-dependence and reliance on her to navigate her life in the US.

The emotional core of the film comes to a head during a family dinner, where Marilyn’s American friend joins them. The tension between mother and daughter intensifies as Marilyn reveals her plans to leave, prompting Chen to express her fear and disbelief. Chen talks about the pride she feels when people recognize that her daughter is a doctor and how that seems to open some doors for her in a world that often closes them to undocumented immigrants. This pride, however, blinds her to Marilyn’s true aspirations and the sacrifices her daughter has made to support her.

Both Yan Cui and Jessica Lee offer very well-rounded performances to bring the characters to life. We see that in how Cui embraces the role of an uneducated Chinese mother. Lee matches the performance with her delivery of Marilyn. We see how Chen has grown comfortable, and dependent on Marilyn to the point where she cannot imagine life without her daughter’s help. This dependency highlights a role reversal that is both poignant and painful where the child becomes the caretaker, and the mother, the dependent.

Ziyu Luo expertly navigates this complex relationship in the film’s 15-minute runtime, exploring the dynamics of a mother-daughter bond strained by the weight of expectations.

Even though the film is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, its themes are universally relatable, resonating with people from diverse backgrounds, particularly those from immigrant families. The symbolism in the film transcends ethnicity and cultural traditions, speaking to the universal experiences of love, sacrifice, and the struggle to balance personal desires with family obligations.

“American Daydream” is as much about sacrifice as it is about family. It’s a reminder that love often requires the greatest sacrifices, and that family, no matter how complicated, matters deeply. The film leaves you contemplating the choices we make for those we love and the silent expectations that shape our lives.

The film feels like the beginning of something bigger, a story that could easily expand into a feature-length film if its themes and subjects were further explored. Ziyu Luo has crafted a touching, thoughtful short film that can resonate with many people. For that, I would score this film 4 out of 5 stars.