Eden, 2012.
Directed by Megan Griffiths.
Starring Jamie Chung, Beau Bridges, Matt O’Leary, Eddie Martinez, Tantoo Cardinal and Tracey Fairaway.
SYNOPSIS:
A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive.
In recent years the subject of human sex trafficking has become a popular source of material in Hollywood. There have been some very dark films on the subject, as well some more simple entertainment where the subject itself offers little more than a backdrop for ensuing carnage (Taken). We’ve not seen too many films delve into the subject of trafficking within America. One assumes that it happens mostly in Eastern Europe or Asia, but there is a dark underbelly in America that is somewhat untapped by American cinema.
Eden does just this. Inspired by a true story, it is about Korean American teenager Hyun Jae who meets a charming and handsome young man whilst out at a bar with her friend. She gradually realises something is amiss but before it’s too late she is captured, whisked away and imprisoned in a ramshackle compound outside of Las Vegas, run by a corrupt Federal Marshall (Beau Bridges). It soon becomes clear to her that she’s now merely stock, and in a seemingly inescapable prison with her fellow young, prostitute inmates. She slowly gains the trust of her employees though, working to help them improve the efficiency of the business, all the while waiting for the perfect moment to make her escape.
Some actresses kind of get stuck, meandering in their career. It could be typecasting, it could be doing the same kinds of movies over and over again. Jamie Chung was just such an actress. Be it average family films, to low ball bawdy comedies, she’d never really had the chance to really show off her acting ability. Of course she’s gorgeous so in some senses she ends up being little more than eye candy in many films, however director Megan Griffiths shows faith in Chung here, and is rewarded with a fantastic performance. Chung carries the film very well, even helping to divert attention away from the films flaws. It’s a strong performance and without it, the film would have fallen apart. Chung is certainly more than just a pretty face. The rest of the cast are also good, including Beau Bridges and Matt O’Leary as Vaughan, the drug addled second in command.
As said, Eden isn’t without its faults. It doesn’t particularly get gritty enough into how horrendous the situation could be, while certain parts feel a little unrealistic. It also sags a little in the middle third, which at a brisk 98 minutes, it probably shouldn’t do. Despite this it’s still a very watchable piece of work with a fine central performance. Griffiths’s direction is solid, but not quite incisive enough. The film looks good, capturing the desolate landscapes of the Nevada desert nicely, as well as the dank, dingy prison that the women find themselves in.
In all this is definitely well worth a watch. Though the situation is never quite portrayed as horrifying as it actually would be, it’s still a disturbing view of something that actually still happens in a country as large and developed as America.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Tom Jolliffe
Originally published September 9, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
