Vietnamese hit rakes in over $1 mln at US box office

It has grossed $1.08 million after becoming a big hit in Vietnamese communities like Orange County, San Jose, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta, and Orlando.

Released by fledgling shingle 3388 Films in 19 theaters at the end of May, the movie entered the top 10 list of grossers in tenth position after the first week.

It had the best opening weekend for a Vietnamese film in the U.S. with collections of $400,000.

It was screened in 38 cinemas in the second week and 47 the following week. It has the widest release of all time for a Vietnamese film in the country.

It was released in Singapore and Malaysia in April after raking in VND400 billion ($17.4 million) at home to become the highest grossing Vietnamese movie ever.

The film is an adaptation of a hit web drama directed by Vu Ngoc Dang, and stars comedian and TV host Tran Thanh. It reportedly cost VND20 billion ($870,000) to make.

It tells the story of Ba Sang, an old motorbike-taxi driver who lives in a low-income neighborhood in downtown Saigon and struggles to earn enough to take care of his family.

Too nice to his siblings and neighbors, Sang is routinely taken advantage of, to the ire of his son, a rising YouTuber who tries to force his father to change his ways.