Dìdi (弟弟)

Gosh I was not expecting to relieve my teenage years, this movie had me bawling. Being a teenager was so hard. Mentally and emotionally, you're just trying to figure out where you belong and who you belong with. My heart aches for Chris throughout the film because I know what it's like to feel like you don't really fit in with friends or live up to your parents' expectations. I think especially the time period, although I'd have to fast forward into the 2010s for my teenage years, it was basically the same except instead of MySpace it was Instagram. I think Chungsing was my favorite character, mainly because it felt like I was watching my mom on screen. The last 30 minutes, I had to keep pausing to blow my nose because they did such a good realistic job of a fight. As a teenager, I am fully on Chris' side because I felt like all I could do was disappoint people and no one would hesitate to tell me so. But now that I'm older (and maybe its because my relationship with my mom got stronger?), all I see is a mother who wants her child to succeed and do the best he can. That final look at the dinner table, is too familiar to me. My mom has given me that look more than I can count. "I'm full just by watching you eat" is one of her favorite lines to use on me. Our parents, especially mothers, have a tendency of assuming we can always do better but I think it's because they know and recognize our capabilities far earlier than we can. When they had that conversation on the bed, I feel like that's was the main turning point that most kids go through at one point or another. It just goes to show that parents love us more than they can ever put into words. Especially immigrant parents. They just weren't taught to express love so they express it in whatever way they can. My dad loves to buy me fruit, I think if I could add up all the fruit he's bought I could buy a car. Sean really knew what he was doing by targeting first-generation immigrant children. It's such a struggle to find your identity at that age because it's hard to balance out America's societal values and expectations vs your parents who grew up in a different time and place. On the assumption you only pick one, it comes with sacrifices. But by growing up, you slowly learn to become an amalgamation of the cultures. Finally, I just want to appreciate the other representation in the movies, my boy Hardeep and Fahad being my brown representatives are so unironically accurate to the brown boys I knew growing up. Nai Nai was also an underrated favorite, she's such a cutie. Also ripped my heart apart because she reminded me of my ammachi. This movie was so good, I can't wait to rewatch once everything is subbed. 5/5.