Baby (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
Baby is a 2008 independent film
, considered part of the hood film
genre. The film tells the story of an Asian-American youth's gang life in East Los Angeles
, set during the mid '80s to the early '90s. Directed by Juwan Chung
and starring David Huynh
,, Tzi Ma
, Ron Yuan
, Kenneth Choi
and Feodor Chin
.
s, pool halls and drug
dens that characterize East Los Angeles
gang life in the 1980s. Baby (Ryan Andres) is a motherless, poverty stricken 11-year-old with only an alcoholic father (Tzi Ma
) to raise him. Things only get worse when he's taken under the wing of his gangster neighbors Tommy (Ron Yuan
) and Benny (Feodor Chin
), who both lead him down a path that lands him in Juvenile Hall for manslaughter
. After seven violent years in prison, Baby (now portrayed by David Huynh
) is released, but struggles to fit into a society that rejects him, and soon returns to a life of drugs, street gangs and murder. In the meantime, Benny (Feodor Chin
) has taken over as the head of the criminal empire, and their collision becomes inevitable. Only his childhood friends and a lost love offer him any hope of turning his life around before it's too late.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
, considered part of the hood film
Hood film
Hood film is a film genre originating in the United States in the late 1980s to early 1990s, which features aspects of urban culture such as hip hop music, street gangs, racial discrimination, poverty, and the problems of young black men coming of age or struggling in a predominantly white society...
genre. The film tells the story of an Asian-American youth's gang life in East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles (region)
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles and City Terrace, south of Cypress Park, and north of Vernon, California and...
, set during the mid '80s to the early '90s. Directed by Juwan Chung
Juwan Chung
Juwan Chung is an American Director and Writer. His gangland film Baby won a Special Jury Prize for Best Feature, Narrative at the 2007 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and lead Actor David Huynh won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival for Outstanding...
and starring David Huynh
David Huynh
David Huynh is a Canadian Actor. Huynh won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival for Outstanding Newcomer Award and Best Emerging Actor for his performance in Juwan Chung's Baby, which also won a Special Jury Award for Best Feature Length Film at that year's...
,, Tzi Ma
Tzi Ma
Tzi Ma is a Chinese American actor who has made numerous appearances in American films and TV series.-Life and career:Ma was born in Hong Kong...
, Ron Yuan
Ron Yuan
Ronald Winston "Ron" Yuan is an American actor, martial artist and stunt choreographer.Yuan was born in New York City, New York, the son of Theresa and Joseph Yuan, and the brother of actor Roger Yuan.-Filmography:...
, Kenneth Choi
Kenneth Choi
Kenneth Choi is an American actor. Choi was born in Chicago, Illinois. He originally studied to be an accountant and majored in this at college, but later gave this up to become an actor. He has appeared in a number of films and television series since 1998.-Film:-Television:-Video games:-External...
and Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin is an American actor, writer and director. Chin starred as the antagonist "Benny" in Juwan Chung's Baby opposite David Huynh, the protagonist...
.
Synopsis
Baby is the tragic story of an Asian-American youth trapped in the seedy, dead-end world of hostess barHostess bar
Hostess clubs are a common feature in the night-time entertainment industry of Japan, east Asian countries and other areas with a high east Asian population. They employ primarily female staff and cater to males seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The more recent host clubs are similar...
s, pool halls and drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
dens that characterize East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles (region)
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles and City Terrace, south of Cypress Park, and north of Vernon, California and...
gang life in the 1980s. Baby (Ryan Andres) is a motherless, poverty stricken 11-year-old with only an alcoholic father (Tzi Ma
Tzi Ma
Tzi Ma is a Chinese American actor who has made numerous appearances in American films and TV series.-Life and career:Ma was born in Hong Kong...
) to raise him. Things only get worse when he's taken under the wing of his gangster neighbors Tommy (Ron Yuan
Ron Yuan
Ronald Winston "Ron" Yuan is an American actor, martial artist and stunt choreographer.Yuan was born in New York City, New York, the son of Theresa and Joseph Yuan, and the brother of actor Roger Yuan.-Filmography:...
) and Benny (Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin is an American actor, writer and director. Chin starred as the antagonist "Benny" in Juwan Chung's Baby opposite David Huynh, the protagonist...
), who both lead him down a path that lands him in Juvenile Hall for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. After seven violent years in prison, Baby (now portrayed by David Huynh
David Huynh
David Huynh is a Canadian Actor. Huynh won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival for Outstanding Newcomer Award and Best Emerging Actor for his performance in Juwan Chung's Baby, which also won a Special Jury Award for Best Feature Length Film at that year's...
) is released, but struggles to fit into a society that rejects him, and soon returns to a life of drugs, street gangs and murder. In the meantime, Benny (Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin
Feodor Chin is an American actor, writer and director. Chin starred as the antagonist "Benny" in Juwan Chung's Baby opposite David Huynh, the protagonist...
) has taken over as the head of the criminal empire, and their collision becomes inevitable. Only his childhood friends and a lost love offer him any hope of turning his life around before it's too late.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Huynh David Huynh David Huynh is a Canadian Actor. Huynh won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival for Outstanding Newcomer Award and Best Emerging Actor for his performance in Juwan Chung's Baby, which also won a Special Jury Award for Best Feature Length Film at that year's... |
Baby |
| Tzi Ma Tzi Ma Tzi Ma is a Chinese American actor who has made numerous appearances in American films and TV series.-Life and career:Ma was born in Hong Kong... |
Pops |
| Ron Yuan Ron Yuan Ronald Winston "Ron" Yuan is an American actor, martial artist and stunt choreographer.Yuan was born in New York City, New York, the son of Theresa and Joseph Yuan, and the brother of actor Roger Yuan.-Filmography:... |
Tommy |
| Kenneth Choi Kenneth Choi Kenneth Choi is an American actor. Choi was born in Chicago, Illinois. He originally studied to be an accountant and majored in this at college, but later gave this up to become an actor. He has appeared in a number of films and television series since 1998.-Film:-Television:-Video games:-External... |
Mike |
| Feodor Chin Feodor Chin Feodor Chin is an American actor, writer and director. Chin starred as the antagonist "Benny" in Juwan Chung's Baby opposite David Huynh, the protagonist... |
Benny |
| Kenzo Lee | Roy |
| Aljarreau Galang | Robbie |
| Meng Wei | Blackfish |
| Peter Cho | Fat Petey |
| Christina Stacey | Sammy |
| Janet Linn (as Linn Ko) | Arianna |
| Ryan Andres | Young Baby |
| Roshon Fegan Roshon Fegan Roshon Bernard Fegan is an American actor, dancer, rapper and musician. He is best known for his role as Sander Loyer in the Disney Channel movie franchise Camp Rock and for his role as Ty Blue on the Disney Channel original series Shake It Up!.-Early life:Roshon Fegan was born on October 6,... |
Young Robbie |
| Matthew Der | Young Blackfish |
| Austin Lee | Young Fat Petey |
| Shannon Yang | Young Sammy |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category / Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | DisOrient Asian American Film Festival Award | Best Director - Juwan Chung | ||
| VC FilmFest Award | Best Narrative - Juwan Chung | |||
| Best New Actor - David Huynh |