The tagline for Dìdi, which is clever marketing, is “For anyone who’s ever been a teenager.” More specifically, it’s for anyone who’s been a teenager during the internet era, where strangers may message you a/s/l as if that’s not weird, where you toiled over what emoticon to send (not quite yet emojis) for that special someone, and a “Top 8 Friends” on MySpace meant confirmation of status or heartbreak. We foolishly thought the internet would give us all the information we needed to solve our problems. Instead, it converted some of life’s real problems into digital format.
Dìdi follows Chris Wang (Izaac Wang; Raya and the Last Dragon), a 13-year-old Taiwanese American, the summer before he starts high school. In the comedic vein of Superbad and Booksmart, our protagonist and his teen friends are unapologetically crass. The film starts with an exploding mailbox prank and hijinks ensue. While Dìdi is not concerned with having sex as we see in those films, you get the sense that underneath the vulgarity and bubbling machismo, the teens are decent at their core.
As the film progresses, Chris loses his grip on everything. Like any kid his age who feels like an outsider, he clashes with his family, is unsure of how to approach a longstanding crush, and begins to slip away from old friends. This story, as the tagline suggests, is as old as time and the tropes are familiar. However, American films rarely tell this story through the perspective of an Asian American young male.
On top of the trappings of becoming a teenager, Chris wrestles with his identity. He experiences external and internalized racism in a way that feels sadly authentic. Being told “You’re cute for an Asian” cuts deep, and we live in the awkwardness of Chris as he can’t fully process the backhanded compliment. When his mother (Joan Cheng; Saving Face) eats McDonald’s with a knife and fork, he lowers his head and softly mumbles “You’re so Asian” in a way that connotes embarrassment.
Dìdi, even though a comedy, doesn’t shy away from harshness. The fights the Wangs have against each other are intense and, at times, borderline nasty. When Chris and best friend Fahad (Raul Dial) have an unspoken falling out, you feel the loss weighing heavily. Wang flipping the switch between false cool bravado and outright sullenness shows he has a bright future as a talented young actor. The stakes for Chris are real and we are left to wonder if he can survive it all.
If you’re looking for a raunchy teen comedy, Dìdi will surprise you with how deep and dark it can go. Unlike Superbad and Booksmart, we reach a conclusion that’s earned while remaining hopeful in the face of hurt and self-doubt. With his feature debut, director Sean Wang crafts a funny and biting authentic tale that is for anyone that’s been a teenager.
Dìdi is now playing in theaters.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Other Articles
‘Alien: Romulus’ Unleashes a New Horror Formula
IFC’s ‘Skincare’ Unmasks the Dark Side of the Beauty World
No Comment! Be the first one.