The Rocket

Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe), a boy living in Laos with his family, is forced to leave his homeland and search for a new home. Along the way, tragedy strikes and his superstitious grandmother dubs him bad luck because he was a twin. Ahlo, with the help of Purple (Thep Pho-Ngam), an alcoholic fellow refugee who models himself after James Brown, seeks redemption through a rocket-building contest that can win him and his family new land and money. The movie, by director Kim Mordaunt, is drawing many comparisons to Beasts of the Southern Wild, and the comparisons are appropriate. There’s a strong child’s performance at its center, and the central character deals with similar tragedies and predicaments. Comparisons considered, it has enough unique qualities to distinguish itself, especially the strange James Brown guy. And Disamoe is especially good.