Palm trees were not native to the USA, they were imported and then rooted here. So explained the father to the daughter when she was young. The protagonist's dad is now terminally sick and bed-struck.
Ms Purple is now a late twenty/early thirty year old woman trying to make end's meet by working as a bar hostess in LA's Koreatown serving drinks. This also includes staying and sitting aside mostly arrogant US born Korean men in dingy karaoke bars. Her name seemingly coming from a purple dress a client once donned her. Her brother lives in a trailer and spends his time getting kicked out of a cyber cafe where he is addicted to his favourite computer games. The contrast to how palm trees flourish in LA vs how this family's life turned out since mom left them could not be starker.
It is a tale of coping with loss, with stuff that life throws at you, and of persevering in adversity and drawing strength from the past and from close family. The brother does not judge the sister, and neither does she judge her loser brother. The scenes where both reminisce of past days feels forced and the director could have used less dialogue to convey the same message. Both siblings trying to cope, one at the verge of giving up, the other having given up ages ago, to life and to living. There is no joy in their existence, almost no hope to their lives. This is no fairytale, mr Richard Gere does not come and save this pretty woman, he is a prick who decides to pass her on to his mates.
Multiple scenes where she is bathing or cleansing herself does not rid her of the weight she carries with her. We see her smiling only when she hangs out with her brother, the only other human being she feels comfortable with to be unguarded and shackle free.
The film ends on a positive note, as she finally lets go of the past and sends father to professional care.
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