MDMA

Biographies are usually whitewashed to make the subject look like a decent person or a scumbag, rarely do they show both.

The acting, writing, direction for a first time director were better than one could expect, especially when you realize this is her life story so it is a truly from the heart movie, where she opens herself up to honest ridicule and judgement during the bad times.

However, we see her redeem herself and become a productive person who, due to her past, shows hope and shares her lessons of pain and strength to overcome even the worst of times.

Some people don't like honesty.

This movie confronts head-on a difficult problems within a tangled and male-dominated sub-genre. Meeting all of the criteria that the genre demands and more this movie confronts challenges, such as underrepresented minorities in cinematography. One major issue that I found with the movie, which is very loosely based around true-ish events was the movie covers in entirety the lifestyles of young party-goers and the consequence of their choices. Simply dismissing this film as an attempt to appeal to a younger audience is wrong in my opinion because as far as I can tell, no other film to date gives such a comprehensive view of the 1980's club culture aside from anti-drug PSAs, clearly what this movie is not, and historical films. This film plays like a biographical narrative while being a fun and light-drug movie that brings a strong theme of the destructive effects of criminality, warning the viewer away from the dangers associated. While the movie doesn't condescend to the viewer the story takes on too many subjects, drawing the viewer away from the entertaining aspect of watching these young people at their worst. I believe this movie is underrated. The actors play their parts with gusto, guiding you in the chaos that the subject entails. The movie moves quickly from topic to topic, but in a easy to follow format that many clubbing movies simply lack. The reviews for this movie are of course critical, and the poor rating shows that the movie was received under the same criticisms that movies in the genre, following scarface and other classic clubbing movies, are subjected. Many movies that are ascribed to the niche 'party movie' genre were underfunded and suffered from poor casting. A movie like this one would have received praises had it been release 20 years sooner, when the genre was thirsty for innovators.

Well, when I sat down to watch the 2017 movie titled "MDMA" (aka "Angie X"), I didn't really know what I was in for, as I hadn't heard about the movie prior to picking it up. So I had no expectations for the movie, much less know what I was in for.

And as luck would have it, it turns out that "MDMA" actually was a rather enjoyable movie. And learning that the movie was based on actual events just made the movie had all the more of a punch and impact.

The storyline told in the movie was rather compelling and interesting. It was a story that takes the audience through a myriad of feelings and situations, from partying and euphoria to sadness, loss and grief. But it was done in a very entertaining way, as writer and director Angie Wang definitely knew what she was doing with this particular movie.

I think this was my first time to see a movie with Annie Q. (playing Angie) in it, and wow did she step up to the plate and delivered a powerhouse of a performance in this movie. She carried the movie phenomenally well with her performance, and I must admit that I was more than genuinely impressed with her talent as showcased in this movie.

"MDMA" turned out to be a movie that sinks in under the skin and sticks with you, given its well-written storyline and the stellar performance by Annie Q. I have to admit that I was blown away by this movie, as I hadn't expected it to be anything that impressive.

My rating of "MDMA" lands on a well-deserved seven out of ten stars. This movie most definitely is well-worth the time, money and effort. If you have the chance to sit down and watch it, you should certainly do so.

This movie is very very bad. And not bad like the "so bad it's good", it's beyond that point. It is laughably simplistic and absurdly boring. A mash up of what someone obviously thinks being a drug dealer is like from watching the discovery channel. This is not due to the main character being an Asian woman. That's actually why I watched it. I would love to watch a good movie breaking stereotypes with an Asian female lead. But this is NOT that movie. From the start, stuff just.... happens. Dramatic subplots pop up now and then, and they seem inserted just to fill in plot holes and backstory. It takes a certain lack of talent to put so many things in a blender and end up with something so painfully boring. There's no rhythm, and the community-access-TV-grade direction helps nothing. It also doesn't help that what passes for acting here seems more like reading. I can't believe someone would fund this project after reading the screen play. It is a work completely devoid of wit, style, intelligence or even basic entertainment. I found it my civic duty to create an IMDB account just to warn any potential viewers.

Angie Wang is a warrior in life and made a daring artistic contribution sharing parts of her college year life trying to cope with family and money issues and achieve academic, romantic, economic and human success.

Angie X, played perfectly by Annie Q, is a romanticized version of an angry, conflicted but smart, sexy and resourceful youth that comes to a college where her first generation immigration and social class makes her adaptation more adventurous.

The casting choices, camera work, wardrobe and sets to match the 80s feel all seem right and we are able to do what director Wang, asked us the the start of her Montreal World Film Festival first screening: immerse ourselves in the movie and be transported.

After an hour and a half in the theatre, that felt much longer in terms of content, but also timeless and not wanting the movie to end and leave these likable characters and their quirky lives.

The only personal choices I felt could have been better are the over-expression of anger which I later learned are Angie's character traits and constant reaction based on her past and way to deal with pressure, as well as some occasional superfluous flashbacks that did not always work to enhance the scenes and character development. Everything else about this independent film written, directed and produced by Angie Wang with a great deal of passion and perseverance is pristine and palpable.

Angie is contrasted by her two best friends, a Chinese American boy classmate and an "All American" rich girl roommate and their respective families. They have different views and values but lots of love, attention and affection for Angie. She also has her own distant parents and brother, especially her father figure. We see her dysfunctional family through flashbacks and she also decides to be a big sister to an even more dysfunctional crack addict family.

Angie becomes a drug-dealer of a then legal party drug for rich kids "White" kids (MDNA/Ecstasy) - and becomes a master chemist like Walter White - which affects lives around here in different ways. In parallel, and paradoxically, she also tries to rescue a "Black" little sister affected by lower class street drugs, both legal (alcohol and cigarettes) and illegal (crack).

Angies tries to find respect and pleasure in school and social settings with her grades, her drugs and romantic interests. A particular sex scene is quite alluring and seems natural, beautiful, beneficial.

The ending which follows a particular dramatic denouement is sad and hopeful, open and soft-spoken. It lets the viewer know that life is not perfect, but life goes on. The best advice, story and point of view comes from her father Michael, played with gusto by Ron Yuan.

This film is a well worth addictive addition to the drug dealer movie for the low, middle and upper class, college student and parents alike.

Bravo Angie! Looking forward to a following project from this fine first time filmmaker.

USA - 2017 - 94 mins - MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL - English