East Broadway

"Falling for Grace" is a wonderful film that pulls on all those heart strings and is the perfect film for the entire family. My young daughters enjoyed it just as much as their grandparents. I loved the story line and the fact that the character, Grace is an intelligent, successful woman.

This movie is more than just a romantic comedy with a predictable ending. It provides a window to the life in Chinatown and the struggles around race, class, and gender. The most enduring parts of the film are Grace's relationship with her family. I could relate to Grace's connection with her parents, her challenges in the corporate world, and her childhood dreams and desires to shine.

Finally a film that stars an Asian American actor. Considering this is Fay Lee's first feature film, I think she did an incredible job. This movie far exceeds Maid in Manhattan...better story line, believable characters, and more depth. If you want to experience an uplifting and wonderful film, go see "Falling for Grace", you'll love it.

All aspects of the production were extremely well done. This is an indie that was put together by big kids who know their business. Things like camera work, editing, lighting and sound were really paid due attention. Also impressive were sets, costuming and especially casting and acting. I don't often see this, but all the moving parts (people, places and things) meshed together beautifully. The director and editor both did a superb job.

The only thing I can reasonably gripe about is that the music choices got sappy at times. But, it's a romantic comedy – not my usual neighborhood.

As to the Whole Package, I left the theater feeling my ten bucks was well spent. But, it's one of those movies that I like better the more it rattles about in my brain. Which it won't. stop. doing. Oh no! As I suggested earlier this isn't my usual fare; but this one is a charmer. If it's in your quadrant, check it out.

Visit the official website "fallingforgrace.com" and check out the trailer to see for yourself - you will want to go see this movie.

'Falling for Grace' is very much as New York City as Woody Allen's cinematic world. The sound of the metro and the CANAL Street Pictures - the very first image on screen already gives one the New York and Chinatown feeling. If you've been to New York and its Chinatown, there are plenty of NYC locale hints you may recognize - but not a prerequisite. The film's original title is "East Broadway" for the Tribeca Film Festival 2006 entry, hence it's definitely New York, New York. The opening credit roll simply fascinates me: the thoughts behind it having each actor's name with Chinese character translations briskly displaying (equal opportunity whether Asian or not) and the Chinese film title playfully appearing like 'falling' for grace: "Sub Mein Ling Lone" - meaning "in every way refined." Refined being cultivated, polished, elegant, well-conceived. This film with its story, dialog, production details and effort behind it all, is very much 'every way refined.'

You might say the script is ambitious - written by director-producer Fay Ann Lee, who's also in the lead role of Grace Tang - so it is, yet it all comes together unobtrusively as you watch and follow the story unfolds, bringing smiles, chuckles, laughter and tears along the way. The dialog, including the Cantonese portions with easy-read subtitles, are well thought out and timely. Yes, coming out from Margaret Cho (the elegant side we get to see), the word "Jesus" can very well be the most endearingly delivered sound you'd ever heard. So a romantic comedy it is, with hints of political viewpoint on 'sweat shop' vs. big business intertwined, and family values, Chinese traditions rolled into one entertaining movie. A tall order and Fay Ann Lee and team delivered: with Gale Harold as Andrew, and wonderful supporting roles by Clem Cheung as Ba and Elizabeth Sung as Ma - the parents, Ken Leung as Ming the brother, even brief ones like Christine Baranski's 'emotional' line to son Andrew, and Ato Essandoh's Jamal quote so casually uttered at Central Park, "It's better to be disliked for what you are, than to be loved for something that you are not" - it's delightful.

Had waited a year for the film to debut in San Francisco. It was exciting when I first saw the theatrical trailer on screen at Sundance Kabuki two weeks before July 20 - I love it. The trailer is available for repeated 'play again' on Myspacetv.com ("www.myspace.com/fallingforgracemovie"). The catchy song "wonderful crazy" from Katelyn Tarver sure captures the spirit of this film, and it can be heard on both the official site of "East Broadway" ("www.eastbroadwaythemovie.com") and "Falling for Grace" ("www.fallingforgrace.com"): "it's so wonderful crazy, it's so beautiful out of control, kinda scary amazing …cos my life's so wonderful, crazy, crazy, crazy." The official site includes info on the team's trip to China, visit to Tsinghua University in Beijing and the original "Shanghai Tang" in Hong Kong.

It's been worth the wait. "Falling For Grace" is essentially a heartwarming and satisfying romantic comedy, cliché to some or not, it is a bold debut feature effort which can pass for a polished 'Hollywood' movie, and that's not bad at all. But being an independent film without big budget promotions, it definitely needs steady support and word of mouth to keep it circulating for wide distribution and successful following. May this be so. Kudos to the filmmakers of "Falling for Grace."

Kudos to Fay Ann Lee and her excellent cast for an enjoyable film experience! With a much smaller budget, "Falling for Grace" stands right up there with "Maid in Manhattan," "Wedding Planner," and others that have a strong female lead without succumbing to stereotypes of others. Very well-directed with the right touch of humor, the entire film cast gave authenticity to personal yearnings and conflicts and cultural differences, within the context of everyday New York City life and a Chinese family. Best wishes for a successful distribution of your film because it deserves to be seen by many, including those who may need a comedic break as they work through their personal situations and challenges.

This film had its Arizona premiere near my hometown, in Lakeside, AZ. By a strange turn of events, I now find myself doing a kind of bootlegging marketing campaign for a film that desperately needs some more attention. So here goes:

Falling for Grace is the story of Grace Tang — a street-smart business gal — who meets Andrew Barrington Jr., son of a high-profile businessman at a high-society event. While stepping lightly around other socialites, Grace is mistaken for Grace Tang, a wealthy woman who owns "Shanghai Tang," a boutique on Madison Ave. Here Chinatown and the Cinderella story collide.

The content stews together into a rather atypical romantic comedy. The Chinese overtones of the film are multi-faceted, from an anti-sweatshop subplot to the hilarious and highly believable conversations between Grace, her brother Ming and her parents. Nearly a quarter of the dialogue — and some of the funniest scenes in the film — was delivered in Cantonese and subtitled in English.

This was just a fabulous little movie, one had the feel of a big-bucks feature with the unpredictability of an indie film. The cast was great and the character development had the right mix of believable dialogue, family interaction and jokes in Cantonese.

In short, this film was well-written, witty, and slyly sweet.