Didi: Movie Review

Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua
Director: Sean Wang

There's plenty of nostalgia in Sean Wang's vibrant but familiar coming-of-age story. 

Izaac Wang plays 13-year-old Chris Wang, who's on the cusp of many things facing teenagers - his first crush, negotiating friendships, dealing with family life.

Essentially, Didi is a story that we've seen before, but Chris is in the awkward phase of looking to grow up, while still trying to keep his fingers in his past and clawing at his future. 

As he deals with a new school, and old friends and new, he turns often to his social media to try and express himself.

It may be a bit of an Asian American experience in parts, but the social faux pas from Wang are universal, the awkwardness all-too-familiar and the missteps somewhat painful to watch. There's also an inherent sadness in proceedings too, with one scene seeing Chris unable to reach out to anyone truthfully than a messenger bot to relay his pain. 

It's in moments like this that Didi does something different, and plays with the truth of life as a teenager. While the school and friends side forms most of the movie, the more interesting elements of this crowd-pleaser are to be found within the family dynamics. 

From a sister moving away to a mother stewing with uncertainty, there's fertile drama to be mined here, but it's not what Wang wants to do - he's more interested in capturing Didi with his mates, and in his interactions. 

But no matter how sensitively constructed, Didi is a more enjoyable hangout experience than a fully-formed drama with anything new to say about the transition from child to teenage years.

This film is playing as part of the 2024 Whanau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival. For more details, visit nziff.co.nz