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Dive into "Shortcomings," Randall Park's directorial debut, featuring queer actresses Sherry Cola and Stephanie Hsu.
Drawing inspiration from Adrian Tomine's acclaimed graphic novel, "Shortcomings," Randall Park steps into the director's chair for the first time, showcasing his talents as an actor who has won hearts with remarkable performances in popular TV series and blockbuster hits such as "WandaVision" or "Fresh Off The Boat."
The film's premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival was met with enthusiastic reactions from critics, who lauded its finesse and emotional depth, offering a fresh perspective.
The inclusion of two openly queer actresses, Sherry Cola and Stephanie Hsu, with Sherry portraying a queer character, also adds an extra layer of authenticity to the storytelling.
As "Shortcomings" takes us on a journey of identity, love, and self-discovery, it promises to engage and delight you with its sincerity and humor while staying true to the essence of the original work.
At the heart of the film, we delve into the life of Ben, a cynical and lazy thirty-something grappling with an identity quest as a young Asian man.
From the film's outset, Ben expresses his discontent with the lack of Asian representation in a movie he watched with his girlfriend, Miko. However, despite his relationship with her, Ben finds himself inexplicably drawn to unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and becomes fascinated by Autumn, a white colleague he works with. His culinary escapades are shared with his best friend Alice, a queer grad student with a serial dating habit.
When Miko is offered a three-month internship in New York, she leaves Ben behind. Confronted with this void, balancing interactions with his employees at the arthouse movie theater where he works and maintaining his friendship with Alice presents a delicate challenge for Ben. Despite his irritable nature, Ben discovers a glimmer of hope when he meets Sasha at a gay party. However, their relationship is short-lived as Sasha reconciles with her ex, Pilar.
This breakup prompts Ben to seek reconciliation with Miko in New York, where Alice has also moved to. However, Ben is confronted with a harsh reality as Miko is now in a relationship with an older white man, Leon. This situation leads him into deep and revealing conversations with Alice, addressing sensitive topics like racial fetishes and his own self-deprecation.
Ultimately, "Shortcomings" takes us on a touching journey, blending humor and emotion, exploring identity, love, and self-discovery.
During its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, bisexual actress Sherry Cola, who portrays Alice, passionately expressed the character's complexity and easily relatable aspect. Alice, who flirts with all the waitresses and regularly attends parties, proves to be a deeply endearing character, offering a favorable contrast to Ben.
"I love the overlap between me and Alice, the queerness, the Asianness, and just like the loudness, the kind of recklessness almost, you know? The obnoxiousness and also the unapologetic ness," Cola said. "Of course, she's flawed. She's imperfect. But she kind of owns it, and she wants to do better for herself."
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Here is the cast of "Shortcomings":
Note that openly queer actress Stephanie Hsu, who also played in "Joy Ride," is part of the cast of "Shortcomings." She plays the role of Mrs. Wong.
Embark on an exciting journey with the trailer for "Shortcomings," as Justin H. Min guides us through the sarcastic world of Ben, a filmmaker on a quest for truth. Immerse yourself in this humorous and insightful story that keeps you entertained and engaged. Don't miss the opportunity to watch the trailer below and let "Shortcomings" capture you with its wit and charm.
On August 4, 2023, "Shortcomings" will debut in theaters nationwide. Unfortunately, the film will not be immediately available for streaming, but an agreement with Netflix paves the way for a future release on the platform.
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