The Wasteland Reviewer

Didi (2024) Written Review

What is your favorite coming-of-age story brought to the silver screen? This form of drama (and many times comedy) is one such story that does feel the closest to universal. Once we reach adulthood, we all have stories, experiences, and feelings to think back to that help craft our lives and bring us to be who we are today. Whether it is about our childhood, middle school, high school, or even college, each of these time periods are rich and full of promise that can be leveraged into a life and experience worth having. Sean Wang certainly was able to draw upon quite a bit in crafting the story for his latest directorial effort, Didi. 

What helps Didi standout in a crowded field of coming-of-age films? The cultural aspects are a strong bedrock to build great emotion and drama off. Chris Wang (our titular Didi) comes from immigrant parents. His always absent father is off in Taiwan making money to keep them financially thriving. His mother (portrayed so perfectly by Joan Chen) is a talented artist who has become engrossed in her life as a mother and homemaker. He keeps a lot of pride in accomplishments and that alienates her own son. Their blows are the most intense and powerful scenes in the film…until we see how they mend those fences and realize just how powerful this film actually is. Chris’ dynamic with his sister (Shirley Chen) also brings a lot to the table including conflict (some of which make for some uncomfortable gross out humor) and the tender connections they make. Then you have Nai Nia, Chris’ grandmother and his mother’s mother-in-law, who has some tender and sweet moments with Chris but some biting and acidic moments with his mother. The added challenges of their family and the Taiwan culture that underlines it makes for some more dynamic elements. Chris even struggles with his own identity as he tells his “cool” friends he is only “half-Asian” (which leads to one of the most heartbreaking moments in the whole film).

What about Didi as a character that makes him stand out amongst so many beloved protagonists in coming-of-age tales? There is a strong passion that he has for his exploits in filmmaking. Didi has a passion for making videos and skateboarding and these elements are incorporated into some of Didi’s most formative moments in the film. The way he commits so much to make these videos and almost making this new lifestyle his whole personality creates riffs with his long-term friends and leads to some heartbreaking moments in the film. But there are moving moments as Chris completes his cinematic journey with a powerful moment involving committing to his new passion for filmmaking. This gives the audience hope that someday he might fully realize that (which adds layers to his dynamic with his artist mother who has never gotten to do that). Didi also goes through many of the familiar elements that audiences are used to with films like this. Falling out with his original friends. Chasing the girl. Doing things he regrets with his new crowd. 

How does the atmosphere that Wang creates match up with his rich and moving script? This film is SO 2008. The ability to capture a time perfectly is an important skill when it comes to making  period pieces (even those that are still so modern). The early internet elements like instant messenger, Facebook, MySpace, and more will whisk you back in time to where you were in 2008. The sound effects of those early internet programs are the auditory nostalgia that can bring you right into the film. The poster, shirts, and other material elements of the scenery and costuming capture the time so authentically as well. The amount of Paramore and Hayley Williams merchandise is quite telling of the time and even gets layered into the character moments between Didi and the young girl he has feelings for. Having experienced 2008 at a formative time, this film certainly captures it authentically.

Is Didi the must see coming-of-age story to see in theaters this year? Wang has crafted a heartfelt and moving film that pulls you in and never lets go. The performances are fantastic with each actor fully embodying their characters who Wang created. There are so many impactful moments. Some feel so relatable that you might flashback yourself to time on your own. All the way up to the final shot, which is so meaningful without a single word, Didi delivers a rich cinematic experience that looks great, boasts strong filmmaking, and tells a moving and poignant story.