100m/Rated TV-MA/in Mandarin w/English subtitles
Prose (Story): Sanlian (Ying-Hsuan Hsieh) has pretty much been in a bad mood ever since her husband came out of the closet and requested a divorce, effectively ending a marriage she'd long thought ideal. Struggling to raise their combative teenage son as a single mom while still nursing the wounds of being dumped by a gay husband, Sanlian's world doesn't get any better when, after her ex-husband passes away, she learns that he had - prior to his death - changed his will, leaving everythng he had to a stranger name Jay instead of his own son. Enraged and confused, Sanlian confronts Jay (Roy Chiu), who turns out to have been her husband's lover, soon letting him know she will do anything she must to get that money for her son - including revealing Jay's sexuality to everyone from the autorities to Jay's own mother - but Jay won't be intimidated ... and when her son decides to move in with Jay for awhile, not only to escape his over-the-top mother but also to learn more about his father, and Jay's relationship with him, a suddenly-alone Sanlian realizes she must re-evaluate her life, her son ... and where the heck to go from here.
Don's (Review): Dear Ex is a heartfelt, touching, at times laugh-out-loud-funny film that reflects on life, a life lived honestly, and finding your definition of family. Performances all around are terrific, Ying-Hsuan Hsieh in particular bringing a shrill ferocity to Sanlian that, thankfully, never teeters over the edge into melodrama; she is a ferocious, protective mama tiger to her son, even while inside still reeling from the breakup of a marriage that's left her wondering about her own inadequacies, as not just wife but now mother. Sanlian channels emotion trough her rage and pain, pushing her son away even as she fights for what she feels rightfully belongs to him, and indeed the relationships between all the characters in this film grow both more resonant and complex as the film goes on, and conflict builds to confrontation. Beautifully, beautifully done on all levels. Maybe have a tissue or two handy. 4.5/5 stars
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