Beyond Rangoon (1995)

In 1988, a grieving young widow (Patricia Arquette) whose husband and son were murdered accompanies her sister (Frances McDormand) to Burma (now Myanmar) in the hopes of finding some peace. Unfortunately, she finds herself in the country as its military government turns on its citizens who are fighting for a democratic government. As the country's soldiers massacre students and other protesters, she finds herself on the run with an ex-professor (U Aung Ko) on the government's subversive list who is now reduced to acting as a tour guide. With its fictional story using real events as a background, the film attempts to call attention to the gross injustices done to its people by their own government. As such, the film often comes across as heavy handed and "preachy" at times and the slightly contrived script by Alex Lasker and Bill Rubenstein feels clunky. As written, the screenwriters do Arquette's character no favors. She's the heroine of the piece but she is reminiscent of those naive Americans who visit dangerous third world countries yet feel they are immune to any of the country's problems and rules because they are U.S. citizens. I probably sound like I'm down on the film and I don't mean to be because it's very well done and very effective. If "message" movies like these are going to be made, this is the way to do them. Directed by John Boorman (DELIVERANCE). With Spalding Gray.