Shortcomings

Well, it's kinda hard to catch up at the beginning. But since the movie has a deep message that viewers have to think, so it makes this movie feels so realistic about life and human expectation nowadays. Hopefully by watching this movie, people will have a new insight. We can have out rock bottom situation, but all we can do is just wait until the condition getting better then move on. The drama kinda consume much energy but when we come to the end of the story, it feels really heartwarming. Especially when we realize that we don't have to stay together with someone we loved if we can't make them look happy or even feel happier.

Shortcomings is a film I had been wanting to see for a while, but because of the underwhelmingly lukewarm response it received from other reviewers I was not in a hurry to spend my money just to be disappointed. But I am glad I finally watched it! I'm definitely part of the target demographic which isn't strictly Asian-American, it's more of anti-romantic comedy for older urban Millennials who are still struggling with being adultier adults at 35 or 40. There was also a lot of queer representation. I started laughing out loud at the obvious dig at Crazy Rich Asians in the first five minutes. Yet there's also a poignant shift in perspective closer to the end of the story. Ben is every "too cool to like anything" mildly toxic masculinity trope from my generation. Apart from the chip on his shoulder about being perceived as less macho as an Asian man, he's stereotypically every suburban white guy from younger Gen X or older Millennial high school and college who mocked people for liking certain bands, was always too full of himself to watch certain movies. I've had relationships with men like Ben when I was younger. I think calling him a narcissist is going a bit too far, but he's definitely immature and can be deeply unpleasant because his own insecurity in his masculinity makes him passive-aggressive and hostile like a permanently 17 year old black rain cloud on other people's joy. His best friend, Alice, is an equally sharp-tongued and emotionally unavailable lesbian force to be reckoned with and her own growth over the arc of the story is implied to inspire Ben to finally grow up, too.

Film snob Ben (Justin H. Min) complains about the latest Asian-American rom-com. His girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki) calls him out on his preference for white girls like his new hire MPDG Autumn (Tavi Gevinson). His gay friend Alice (Sherry Cola) takes him to a lesbian party where he meets Sasha (Debby Ryan). Ben is a complaining, low-energy, pathetic prick and not in a funny way. I get it but he's kinda annoying. While he's not funny, there are a few funny moments especially coming from Timothy Simons. More than anything, he doesn't deserve all these hot babes. I don't know what I'm rooting for. One thing is for sure. I don't want him ending up with any of these girls. They don't deserve the headache. I do like where he ends up which is with nothing but self-reflection.

When life doesn't quite turn out as planned, it's easy to become frustrated, cynical and embittered, falling into a trap of unrelenting wallowing and victimhood from which it's difficult to escape. But what will staying in such a rut accomplish? That's the harsh reality that an aspiring but unsuccessful Bay Area filmmaker (Justin H, Min) must face when his plans never materialize as hoped for, circumstances that taint his overall outlook and impact other areas of his life, such as his increasingly strained relationship with his live-in girlfriend (Ally Maki). To address these issues, he frequently seeks the advice of his best friend/confidante, a wisecracking, serial-dating lesbian (Sherry Cola) whose own life is more than a little dysfunctional. Their friendship is thus essentially tantamount to an ongoing exercise in misery loves company. But the unfulfilled auteur is suddenly and unexpectedly forced to get off the dime when his significant other announces that she's moving to New York to accept an internship, leaving him alone in Berkeley. So what is he to do now? That's what he's about to find out. However, this unforeseen time by himself proves to be a dual-edged sword, an opportunity for newfound personal freedom but also a time in which he's forced to get his life back on track, a dicey struggle in many respects - not to mention one filled with ample unanticipated fallout. This smartly written offering is full of eye-opening, unexpected plot twists, but they never feel forced, and they're often quite revelatory about the protagonist's true nature. In doing so, the picture successfully and intriguingly combines multiple genres, including romantic comedies tinged with elements typical of character studies, matinee dramas and hard-hitting social commentaries. Debut director Randall Park has also infused this release with an array of biting one-liners and a pervasively edgy quality when it comes to the true nature of relationships, an attribute not unlike that found in films like "(500) Days of Summer" (2009), "Bros" (2022), "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), and even such Woody Allen projects as "Manhattan" (1979) and "Annie Hall" (1977). What's more, "Shortcomings" is not afraid to show the unflattering sides of otherwise-likable characters, a theme frequently seen in the movies of filmmakers like Nicole Holofcener. Because of all this, there's a certain brusqueness to the narrative and the characters that some viewers might find off-putting, but that's also one of this production's innate beauties in that it serves up an unbridled authenticity not often seen in pictures like this. Even though this release had a brief theatrical run late last summer, it's largely gone unnoticed. Thankfully, however, it's now available for streaming online and makes for a frank but refreshing watch compared to many other comparable offerings, one that gives us all a lot to think about.

Of course, a protagonist can be a loser, but he or she has to have something of quality that the audience can fall in love with or even at least can relate to or root for. Ben is controlling, unfaithful, negative, and being a racist himself. Most importantly, he's the biggest hypocrite. All the other things, he can be loved by character development, but he does what he despises and criticizes without any moral conflict. That's when the audience drops any interest left in him. The ending is weak as well. As Randall Park's directorial debut, 'Shortcomings' is not bad at telling the story and continuing it smoothly without any huge leap of logic.

I must say i am impressed with the direction and the actors. I personally like well knitted movies and this definitely made to my recommended must watch list. Beauty of this is in the predictability of events yet the relatability of it to oneself while hoping things turnout differently. Another aspect of it that really pulled my in and why I think it is a though provoking movie is the fact how Ben (our main character) can be viewed from different aspects and angles. Watch it as a romantic comedy or over analyse our main character and pass a verdict. I would really recommend to watch it more than once and each time choose your filter i.e. Watch it as a comedy or a drama or bring in your sociological views. I am definitely watching it again.