JEANNE’S REVIEW
There are many wonderful critically acclaimed coming-of-age movies and now Sean Wang’s feature directorial debut, DìDi, can be counted among the best. Set in his own hometown of Fremont, California, Sean, who wrote the heartfelt screenplay based on his own experiences, takes his audience back to the summer of 2008 and reminds us what it was like to be 13 years old.
Specifically, Sean’s story centers around a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy named Chris Wang (Izaac Wang) --- or Wang Wang to his friends. His beautiful, but frustrated mother, Chungsing (Joan Chen), calls her youngest child DìDi, which is an affectionate term for “little brother” in Mandarin. His older sister, Vivian (Shirley Chen – no relation to Joan), is going off to college in San Diego soon, which is just as well since all they do is fight.
It comes to light very early that Chris’ father is never present. It seems he’s perpetually in Taiwan, working, a fact that Chris’ grandmother, Nai Nai, played by Sean Wang’s own grandmother, Chang Li Hua, never lets Chungsing forget. The two women do not agree on much, particularly Chungsing’s maternal instincts.
But as Chris meanders through the summer before he begins high school with his friends, Fahad (Raul Dial) and Soup (Aaron Chang), he can’t seem to find his place. He tries making new friends with a bunch of skateboarders, promising to film their daring feats. And he actually manages to hang out with his girl crush, Madi (Mahaela Park), but in each of these attempts to achieve a sense of belonging, Chris fails miserably.
And at every turn, it is Chungsing who is there to help Chris by providing him a safe place. One of the best scenes in DìDi depicts Chris treating his mother cruelly in front of his skate friends, who reprimand him for speaking to his mother so disrespectfully. It was totally unexpected from this motley crew --- and powerful.
In the end, after Chungsing’s incredible patience with Chris, he finally begins to see his mother for who she is --- and all she has done for him and her family. It’s an incredibly moving moment which Ms. Chen herself says “it seems like it’s Sean saying to his mother all the things that maybe he hasn’t been able to say”.
So, DìDi is also a “mother and son story” besides just a coming-of-age one. Filmed on location in Fremont, it features an extraordinary ensemble cast. Izaac Wang imbues Chris with the youthful naiveté of a 13-year-old --- along with all the other less-than-charming characteristics --- and he’s perfect.
Chris and Chen play off one another with heartbreaking results, at times. But together, they convey the angst many sons and mothers experience --- as written so masterfully by Sean. Chen portrays Chungsing with remarkable realism. Disillusioned with her life, she dreams of what might have been, then concludes that her children are her most important achievement. Chen’s performance is subtle and convincing --- she’s a treasure.
Shirley Chen and Chang Li Hua, who is not an actor, provide a great deal of the humor in DìDi --- and a lot of the fireworks. Sean Wang’s ode to 13-year-old boys and their mothers will delight audiences and thrust the young director into a world of endless possibilities. DìDi
is superb.
Opinion: Strong See It Now!
DAVID’S REVIEW
It's the summer of 2008 in Fremont, California, and Chris Wang, a.k.a. Wang Wang/DìDi, (played by Izaac Wang --- no relation to Sean) is about to enter high school. He’s at that awkward age where he’s trying to impress friends, make new ones and wondering how to keep a pretty classmate interested in him. He has a best friend, Fahad (ably played by Raul Dial), and a few others in his group.
When Chris sees an opportunity to befriend other boys by videotaping their skateboard maneuvers, he is animated and excited. But even that blows up in his face. His one-on-one meetings with his crush, Madi (Mahaela Park), show promise --- even with the hint of a first kiss --- but a certain event ultimately alienates her from Chris.
Chris fights with his sister, Vivian (Shirley Chen), as she prepares to leave the household for college. His grandmother, Nai Nai (portrayed by director Wang’s real-life 86-year-old grandmother Chang Li Hua in her acting debut) lives with him, his sister and his mother, Chungsing (Joan Chen). And we learn that Chris’ father, never seen in DìDi, works in Taiwan.
We’ve all been through Chris’ youthful experiences, at least us males. And that’s what initially makes DìDi’s theme a universal one. Even though the teenage boys in Wang’s film are mostly Asian American, their behavior and especially their interaction with each other is something teenaged boys of any culture can relate to and remember from their own boyhood.
Joan Chen has been an international star for decades. Her character Chungsing is truly a stabilizing force in Chris’ life, but he doesn’t realize it until it’s almost too late. Chungsing feels like she is failing as a parent because her son is so aloof and unfeeling. Her relationship with Chris is volatile but it takes a stunning and emotional turn by the end of the movie. Chen’s portrayal is marvelous.
“Didi” means “little brother” in Mandarin, and director Wang drew on his own childhood to help him write the script, even utilizing his own boyhood bedroom in the film. Sixteen-year-old Izaac has been in several large-scale films before but had tired of acting. However, after reading Sean’s script he became energized anew and won the role.
Whichever way you interpret DìDi --- a coming-of-age movie or a touching story about a mother and son --- it is well worth the 93 minutes you will invest. Wang’s film won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and the Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Opinion: See It Now!