One can have a sardonic explanation for the purpose of the two Chinese men and attribute it to a deficiency in the narrative structure/flow of the movie, and implicitly castigate the film's creators' for such a flaw, but that's not how I saw the relationship. In fact, I saw it has having a strong correspondence to the themes and relationships of other characters. Briefly, consider this. Why is there such an age discrepancy between the two men? Why is one of the few times we see them together when the young man 'invades' the family dinner of the older man? Well, to me it seemed evident, although I can't prove it, so you consider my view complete nonsense or having merit. Either way, it doesn't concern me much. Simply put, this 'relationship' depicts the problematic nature of the father/son relationships that pervade the motivations and emotions of most all the characters. The older Chinese man has a bifurcated allegiance: one to his own 'real family'; the other to the 'gay lover'; there's a third, also, which is his dominion over the illegals that he finds work for, albeit, it's not exactly the solution to their problems. The entire film has as its fulcrum the examination of what it means to be an adult, authority figure, father (and mother). Just think about nearly every relationship in the film: the two brothers and their father; the deported African that must leave his child; the cop that is supposed to be the 'protector' of society. I won't go on, but this is what 21st century life has bequeathed to us--a world where no one knows how to perform his/her role in the family, society, work, community.
'Art is necessary' If I only knew what for.' Jean Cocteau
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