Compliments to the relationship

Someone was bound to comment on the interracial marriage of Sophie and Andrew so I might as well be the first one.

I give my compliments to the film's producers for finally portraying a white woman married to an Asian man especially in the setting of a thirty-something, well-to-do married couple.

Hollywood did depict a romantic relationship between the actor Russell Wong and a well-known Caucasian actress in the 1994 action mini-series, Vanishing Son. But any further depictions of Asian men and Caucasian women were extremely rare in the intervening years.

I liked the selection of actors and actresses. Vera Farmiga is by no means a radiant, glamourous Caucasian beauty. Yet she does look like she fits the role of an everyday, average Caucasian thirtysomething woman who is educated, articulate and most likely in a professional career. Vera as Sophie looks exactly like the kind of spouse you might run across at a cocktail party. She's more believable in her role because she isn't a raving, gorgeous beauty queen. David Lee McInnis as Andrew is an early, tragic figure in the movie. Andrew is tall, 6 feet, 2 inches, and handsome. He's educated, professional, and financially well-off. More, I'll cross this taboo. Andrew speaks perfect, fluent English, a huge advantage for an Asian in the United States. He'll be taken more seriously and won't be made fun of behind his back. Yet all that glitters is not gold. In Korean culture, men especially value their virility. It's not a taboo subject. It's a matter of pride for them. For a man to be unable to sire a child is a crushing, devastating emotional blow, for any man of any ethnic group or race for that matter.

I understand Sophie's intentions. She's not motivated by lust but a desperate desire to save her husband, perhaps his life and their marriage by giving him the child he needs. But the first sex scenes between Sophie and Jihah (Jung woo Ha) are creepy. Sophie's lying there emotionally detached, like someone zonked out on drugs, or worse.

I liked the part early on in the restaurant, where Jihah, not yet fully aware of Sophie's intentions, insults her motives. In return, Sophie blasts Jihah outside the restaurant, outing him about his rejection at the sperm clinic. It was hilarious. I was cheering for Sophie. If I was Sophie, I'd do the same to some inconsiderate assclown like Jihah. Of course, later on, as Jihah finally understands, he becomes a nicer guy.