Bitter Melon was reviewed by G. Allen Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook section.
Check it out if you can — it’s a solid review. A few good pull-outs:
Domestic violence is not a laughing matter, but Mendoza gently invites us into the story through humor and welcome distraction…
What makes the movie smart is its refusal to cast Troy, a difficult role well-played by Epino, as strictly a villain. Instead, Mendoza delves into the cycle of violence that can be passed down through generations…
No matter the genre, [Mendoza’s] films, which can often be joyful, explore the pain of a young protagonist haunted by the past, and how the future is on hold until there is a present reckoning with what has come before.
Great stuff.
And most importantly, for those of you familiar with the Chronicle’s rating system, it got the Little Man Clapping rating:
