Movie Review and GIVEAWAY: Didi {ends 9/10}
*Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this film in exchange for this post. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.
all photos courtesy of Focus Pictures
Although Didi is still in theaters, it's now available to rent or buy on digital.
TWO of my lucky readers will win a digital code to download the film! See below for details.
About the film:
Relive your adolescence in this year’s funny and heartwarming story in Focus Features’ Dìdi (弟弟). The film celebrated its World Premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, where it took home both the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast. The film, which is currently Certified Fresh with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, is available for the first time exclusively on digital platforms to own or rent, and available to own on Blu-ray™ October 29, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Masterfully directed by Academy Award® nominee and first-time feature filmmaker Sean Wang (Nai Nai & Wài Pó), Dìdi (弟弟) stars Izaac Wang (Good Boys, Raya and the Last Dragon), Joan Chen (Judge Dredd), Shirley Chen (Quiz Lady), and Chang Li Hua (Nai Nai & Wài Pó).
In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy (Izaac Wang) learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.
My review:
I really enjoyed this movie. It's definitely one that you have to pay close attention to—a lot happens on the screen, and the main character, Chris (also known as "Didi," meaning "younger brother"), does a lot of his conversations in AIM, which was a fun flashback. The film takes place in 2008, and I remember using AIM for instant-messaging when I was in college then (and in high school, before that).
This was a poignant, often hard to watch coming of age story, about a boy who often struggled with his identity—for example, he tells his friends he's half-Asian (with the implication being he's also half-white), but both of his parents are Asian—and also was on the brink of major changes in his life. He is about to enter high school, and also his older sister, with whom he has a tumultuous relationship, is about to leave for college.
His grandmother ("Nai Nai") also lives with them, and is constantly putting his mother down, which comes to a simmer later on in the movie; she thinks both Chris and his sister, Vivian, are spoiled and weren't raised right, as their father is off working in Taiwan most of the time.
Overall I thought this was a really good movie, and I will probably watch it again sometime—I'd give it 4.5/5 stars, as I'm still thinking about it today, too.
GIVEAWAY:
Two of my lucky readers will win a code to download Didi! The code can be redeemed at MoviesAnywhere.com.
Giveaway will end on Tuesday, September 10th at 11:59pm ET, and the winners will be notified via email the next day.
U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.
Good luck!
Digital copy of Didi
