As "Definition Please" (2020 release; 91 min.) opens, we are at the 2005 Scripps National Spelling Bee, where 8 yr old Monica wins it all. In a subsequent 'victory your', Monica appears on the "Learning with LeVar" TV show (that would be LeVar Burton of course). We then switch to today, and Monica, now a 20-something yr old, is caring for her ailing mother. Then out of the blue, her brother Sonny returns home for a one week stay in connection with an anniversary remembrance of some sort for their dad. Can the siblings overcome their strained relationship for their mom's sake?
Couple of comments: this film is a labor of love from Sujata Day, best known for her recurring role on the HBO series "Insecure". Day not only wrote, produced and stars in this, but for good measure she also makes her directing debut. The movie reflects on the underlying tensions between Monica and Sonny, while also assessing their status as second generation immigrants from India. The movie is billed as a comedy-drama, but alas I am sorry to report that there isn't much of either: not a lot of laughs, not a lot of drama either. On top of all that, the movie suffers in comparison to another recent release, "Donkeyhead", which delves into very similar (if not outright the same) issues but in a much stronger and compelling way. It's not that "Definition Please" isn't good. It's okay, but just okay, in my book. That aside, I do extend a hearty kudos to Sujata Day, who pours her heart and soul into this release, filmed on a microscopic budget.
"Definition Please" premiered on the film festivalcircuit in 2020 and then pretty much disappeared. The movie has been given new life when Netflix picked it up and started streaming it this past weekend (and where I caught it). If you are in the mood for a siblings relationship comedy-drama, I'd readily suggest you check out "Definition Please" as well as "Donkeyhead" (both now on Netflix), and draw your own conclusion.
