Beyond Rangoon (1995)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

John Boorman

Writers (WGA):

Alex Lasker (written by) &
Bill Rubenstein (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Truth has a witness

Plot:

Laura is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the murder of her husband and son, and goes on vacation with her sister to Burma...

Plot Keywords:

Burma | Travel | Regime | Bloody Body Of Child | Doctor

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Patricia Arquette	...	Laura Bowman
U Aung Ko	...	U Aung Ko
Frances McDormand	...	Andy Bowman
Spalding Gray	...	Jeremy Watt
Tiara Jacquelina	...	San San, Hotel Desk Clerk
Kuswadinath Bujang	...	Colonel at Hotel
Victor Slezak	...	Mr. Scott
Jit Murad	...	Sein Htoo
Ye Myint	...	Zaw Win
Cho Cho Myint	...	Zabai
Johnny Cheah	...	Min Han
Haji Mohd Rajoli	...	Karen Father
Azmi Hassan	...	Older Karen Boy
Ahmad Fithi	...	Younger Karen Boy
Adelle Lutz	...	Aung San Suu Kyi

MPAA:

Rated R for depiction of violent political oppression.

Runtime:

100 min | Turkey:93 min (TV version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (w) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:R (certificate #33655) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Iceland:12 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Perak, Malaysia

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

Patricia Arquette's role was originally intended for Meg Ryan.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Patricia Arquette arrives at the railroad station, a train is standing on the track nearest the platform. When she runs to get on the train, it is just pulling in to the station.

Quotes:

U Aung Ko: We will need to make an offering.
Laura Bowman: What kind of offering?
U Aung Ko: That would depend on how much good karma you want for your next life.
Laura Bowman: Hmm, I can't plan that far ahead.
U Aung Ko: Then some fresh fruit from the market will do.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Pool Guy (#7.8)" (1995)

A touch of the exotic east

"The trip was Andy's idea. It was easier to say 'Yes' than argue. Always that way with my sister. She meant well. A touch of the exotic east would take me away from everything that reminded me of what had happened..."

So begins the film "Beyond Rangoon", about an emotionally troubled American who is urged by her sister to take a vacation in Rangoon, Burma to try and get over the devastating loss of her husband and child. While there, she becomes entertwined in very real political upheavel. The film depicts the marches and rallies and protests realistically, and shows massacres that are hard to watch, but need to be heard. The political upheavals that really happened in Burma in 1988 were never heard or talked about in the US, and needed to be. Aung San Su Kyi was a woman who was trying to bring Burma (Now Myanmar) to democracy, but was denied by the government. She still tried to lead her people to freedom, and the struggle still exists today. The film has powerful writing, directing, cinematography and acting. The absolutely chilling and powerful score by Hans Zimmer lends riveting power to each scene, and fills triumphant moments with triumph. Patricia Arquette portrays the American, Laura Bowman, with depth, very frozen by the horrors of her loss, "I tried finding something in those stone statues, but nothing stirred in me. I was stone myself", but slowly she sees the meaning of her life and others in her journeys throughout Rangoon and beyond. A terrific film. And it needs to be watched. At home, and in history or government classes. **** stars.