Where I Watched It: VOD Apple Store

English Audio Description Provided By: The Media Access Group

narrated By: Emily Hooks

Cast: Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, Debbie Ryan, Timothy Simons, Jacob Batalan, and Stephanie Szu.

Written By: Adrian Tomine

Directed By: Randall Park

It feels like one of those get your feet wet experiences that actors generally make when they want to direct, and also star on a TV show. Granted, I don’t know what it feels like to be a West Coast Asian millennial but a lot of these themes are generic themes on love and friendship. So, despite the diverse cast, it feels a lot like something we’ve seen before.

What I did connect with is that Min has a close connection with film, and his friend circle does too. But, as a character, I couldn’t really connect to his lost boy story. He’s lost in life, lost in love, and generally feeling stuck. He’s a little abrasive to feel like he’s getting a raw deal, and while he’s the center of the film, his friend is way more interesting. If this film shifted a dynamic to have Sherry Cola be the lead, as a lesbian trying to find her culture, her love, and stuck in the middle of two rather unlikeable friend characters, then perhaps that movie I would like. This is the second time this year that Cola has been a standout in an ensemble, essentially eclipsing the intended lead.

I’m not sure if it’s casting or writing, but other than Cola, I really didn’t like anyone, or they didn’t spend long enough on screen. Jacob Batalan, for example, simply lacks the screen time to make an impact on the film. And for what he’s being asked to do, Simons is actually a great casting choice.

Min, who broke hearts in the tragically underseen After yang, is just the wrong person for this film. It’s not written in a way that compliments his abilities, and it is left up to Cola to carry the weight. For a debut from Randall Park, it’s average.

As far as the audio description, I don’t remember having any specific problems with it, nor do I think it did anything above and beyond. Truthfully, I’m doing a bit of catch up with this, and generally we don’t always remember when things were fine, but rather the good and the bad.

I concede that this is just my opinion, and that this is a predominantly Asian-American cast, and perhaps there’s more culture here that is resonant with a specific crowd. For me, it felt like an average film with a stand out performance from Sherry Cola, who I really hope starts breaking out a lot more.

Final Grade: C+