“Didi”

There isn’t anything particularly memorable about “Didi,” but it’s the heart and warmth of the film that takes writer / director Sean Wang’s coming of age story far. Lending a somewhat unique voice to the immigrant experience, the film embraces that awkward time in a boy’s early teens, set in Fremont, California in 2008.

During his last summer before starting high school, 13-year-old Taiwanese American Chris (Izaac Wang) learns some life lessons about girls, skating, and family.

The story and writing both feel deeply personal and real, especially as Chris struggles to hold on to a sense of cultural heritage while also doing his best to fit in. The writing is personal and authentic, and it’s refreshing to see kids talk and act like actual kids. There are no pithy nor knowing banter, but simple dialogue that evokes typical teenage behavior. These kids feel like characters who stepped out of the real world, not overwritten or phony.

 There’s a nice story about Chris’ evolving relationships with the women in his life, from his older sister (Shirley Chen), mother (Joan Chen), and grandma Nai Nai (Chang Li Hua) to Madi (Mahaela Park), the girl of his dreams. He deals with rejection, criticism, and demand for academic excellence, but also learns the value of unconditional love and support.

Wang is a better writer than a director, however, and his debut feature (which is needlessly longer than necessary) consists of far too many scenes of searches and chats on a computer screen. Yes, his characters’ lives revolve around social media, but I’d rather watch the characters interact in person rather than shot after shot of AOL chats, e-mail chains, and MySpace stories. It all feels a little dated and lazy. This is a film that would’ve been so much better if the focus had been more human, less social media.

Much like its protagonist, “Didi” is far from perfect. But it’s those little imperfections that make this rough-around-the-edges film so endearing.

By: Louisa Moore