Dìdi (弟弟)
This is gonna be another long review. I haven’t related to a movie in a while. This movie is so relatable because I swear, I swear, it’s like they looked into my life and said, “Yeah, this is the perfect story.” A lot of things that happened in this film happened to me.
First off, I’m guessing he’s 14 because he was just starting high school, so it must have been the summer before ninth grade. I’m guessing 14. I can relate to that because I was 14, and the things he did that summer, I did too.
Let’s talk about how this dude, he’s really quiet. He’s really shy. That is me. I’m really quiet. I’m really shy. So I can relate to that. I’m really quiet. I’m really shy. He’s also Asian. I’m Haitian. So it’s like, we have that in common—we’re both not American-born but live in America. And it’s hard to navigate that because we love our culture, but we also try to fit into American culture, right?
His mom, oh my God. The way he was embarrassed by his mom, even though she was just being a good mom, was so real. Like, he was embarrassed just because that’s who he is.
Let’s talk about some of the scenes. There were so many that were so accurate. I’m gonna start with the whole scene when he and his friends were hanging out, it was four of them together. When they were sitting around, someone was like, “Why are you so quiet? Why don’t you talk?” And then his friend called him weird for it. Then they dared him to talk.
Oh my goodness. Never tell someone who’s quiet to talk more. That does not work. It just traumatizes you more. Every time people tell me, “You should talk more,” or, “Why are you so quiet?”ugh. And when he finally did talk, he thought it would get a reaction, but it didn’t. That was funny, but also so real.
Then there was the car scene. There was room in the car, but they didn’t want him to come. That felt so bad because you could tell there was space, but for some reason, they didn’t want him there.
After that, he went to his sister, and when she said something, he was like, “Why are you so mean to me?” That scene was so real because she was just doing normal older sister stuff, but then she actually felt bad. And after that scene, she was nicer to him. That’s literally me and my older sister. I always feel bad afterward.
His older sister was clearly way more Americanized. She embraced American culture more, and you could see it in how she spoke more English. That was such a perfect way to show that cultural difference.
Now let’s talk about his crush. I swear they took stories from my life because I had my first kiss on a playground in the summer before ninth grade, and he was about to get his first kiss on a playground too. I’m telling you, they stole my stuff.
He was trying to impress his crush–lying, stalking her Facebook (already knowing everything about her), and saying he would never erase her. Then he gave her a gift. If I had a crush, I’d give them a gift too. I don’t know if he was lying or if he really believed what he was saying, but I think he was lying just to impress her, like when he said he was white. That was such a great scene.
Even when they were hanging out, he was so awkward, so touchy, and uncomfortable. And then she told her friend about it—ugh, that was so weird. Why would she do that? But yeah, he was lying constantly, stalking her, trying to impress her, doing things he knew she liked. And then, when he blocked her? That’s exactly what I would have done at 14. That was so perfect.
Then there’s the whole thing with his friends. He was just trying to fit in. He’s a quiet kid just trying to find people he likes, but he never really felt like he belonged. He was just there. And it sucks because the moment someone doesn’t like him, he doesn’t speak up for himself. Everything he does, he just messes up.
And then his family—his mom comparing him to other Asian kids, the tutor giving him all these expectations. He just wants to do film. That’s literally what I want to do. I’m telling you, this is my life.
So many scenes I could relate to–wow. Such a good film. This is a really good film. Honestly, this and Turtles All the Way Down are some of the best teen coming-of-age movies I’ve watched. And the fact that they both came out in 2024 is crazy. Two great movies in the same year, both emotional, both relatable, both creative, both unique. Wow.