East Bay

Saw this at the Angelika in NYC. Didn't know what to expect aside from Constance Wu (who's awesome) as the star. I was completely taken by the irreverent and intelligent humor, raw and honest dialogue, and interesting characters. It was part contemplation on the big questions in life, the pressures to be successful and happy that Asian American immigrants face, and a showcase of non-stereotypical Asian American roles. Despite the film being very focused on the Asian immigrant experience, I found it very relatable because the themes and humor transcend lots of different categories.

After the film ended, the director/writer/lead actor Daniel Yoon and two actors (Kavi and Sam) gave a talk and answered questions for about an hour. That was equally interesting and fun to hear about the creative process and the work that went into it. Daniel mentioned that principle photography took place way back in 2010, because Constance Wu became famous for Crazy Rich Asians and Fresh Off the Boat. So you see her in excellent form in this little indie film before stardom, which is really cool. The other leads (Kavi, Sam, Daniel) also gave phenomenal performances. I can't wait to see the next film by this guy.