Review of Didi
DÌDI (弟弟) (2024) Dir. Sean Wang
The film tells of the summer of 2008 where teenager Chris Wang, who's about to go into high school battles with friendship, love, and family in a beautifully moving coming-of-age story.
Straight away, if you are a fan of devastatingly amazing coming of age films, this one is for you. DÌDI (弟弟) is an excellent mashup of the best movies in the genre. ‘Lady Bird", "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "Eight Grade" all come to mind when viewing this film, but that's not to say it's unoriginal. This film is wonderfully unique, capturing the essence of what it was like to be a kid in the noughties during the emergence of the internet and filled to the brim with Paramore posters, cringe Facebook walls, and pop punk on the radio.
Furthermore, there are many layers that are effortlessly executed in this movie, including the idea of family trauma being passed down from generation to generation in an endless cycle, which was a compelling part of this story. The family feels authentic and real that it struck the hardest nerve. But perhaps the most prominent part is the theme of fitting in. The protagonist Chris tries his hardest to fit in but so much so that he starts self-destructing, burying parts of him to make people like him and doing things he shouldn't for approval. Which is a part of childhood that so many people experience.
The film showcases a star-making performance from Izaac Wang who plays Chris effortlessly and is able to execute subtle emotional changes and the complex mental state of a teen without having to rely on dialogue that spells things out. Paired with him is the mesmerising performance of his mum Joan (played by Chungsing Wang). Her struggling single mum is just trying her best, but with the weight of her family on her shoulders, she often bumps heads with her them. But she delivers a very sympathetic character with a performance allowing us to understand why she is the way she is.
The cinematography radiates nostalgia as warm golden hues are present throughout to make the audience feel cosy and transports us back in time to relive our own universal childhood experiences. The American suburban backdrops are heavily reminiscent of classic American teen comedies like Superbad. And the costuming's and environments all scream the early 2000s.
The 1.85:1 aspect ratio and close-ups feel immersive and personal, like a viewer is reliving all these experiences for the first time again.
DIDI is a harsh reminder that teenagers go through so much. Friends grow up into people you no longer want to be around and we feel like outcasts when transitioning into new chapters of life. But most importantly we can also lose ourselves when trying to move on.
The film is down-to-earth and unapologetic in the way it portrays teen life, and accurately shows the struggles so many teens go through daily. And all these emotions and feelings are packed tightly into an excellent 93-minute runtime and it manages to capture such an authentic moment in time that I couldn't help but applaud all its aspects.
★★★★½
4.5 / 5
Jacob Holmes
