Didi (弟弟)
Writer & Director ~ Sean Wang
2024, US
Stars ~ Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen
Whereas many coming-of-age films centre on the precocious, the artistic, there are those like ‘Didi’ that extrapolate on the lives of unremarkable teens just trying to find themselves and get by. ‘Didi’ is more ‘Mid ‘90s’ or ‘Eight Grade’ than the nihilism of Clarks’ ‘Kids’ or forgotten outsiders of ‘Gummo’, or the sadness and socio-commentary of ‘War Pony’. The eponymous Chris is not necessarily likeable, being somewhat immature and seemingly unable to keep from saying inappropriate slurs from under his breath. He aspires to bro-ness. We laugh at and with his friends in painful recognition of their fumbling male bravado. But Chris’ attempt to ingratiate with girls and older skaters bring about the stress rather than the humour of awkward situations because we don’t know if he’ll be self-aware to do it. There’s not tremendous evidence that he is, that he has the skills.
Caught between two cultures and in a house full of women, Chris-Didi is somewhat torn, adrift, confused and clueless. How are you to meant to absorb your crush telling you “You’re pretty cute, for an Asian boy”? And then when watching Chris research and learn how to make new friends and, you know, talk to people, a lot of empathy and relatability is earned. In the adolescent context, every little thing, every little move is big with consequences. And you will be judged. The joy of the film is in seeing Chris take the first tentative baby-steps towards maturity, in learning how to talk to people and deciding what he cares about.
There is nothing new here, but that’s partly the point. Isaac Wang’s performance gathers more and more weight, and when the tears-and-speechifying comes, Joan Chen’s unaffectedness, her convincing genuine characterisation undermines any mawkish melodrama. ‘Didi’ is not as flashy or odd as, say, ‘I Saw the TV Glow’, but in its aching recognition of how hard it is to just grow up, ‘Didi’ is quite capable to leaving its mark.
