"Didi"
By Winston Chu Sept. 25, 2024
Normally, coming of age movies are a hard pass, always featuring the same corny clichés and stereotypes. But “Didi” was anything but a typical coming-of-age movie. The comedic drama presents a story that is captivating and relatable to teens, adults and parents alike.
“Didi” follows 13-year-old Chris Wang as he navigates his last summer before high school. Yet in the summer of 2008, Chris battles more than just pre-high school anxiety. Growing up Asian-American in Fremont, he struggles to find friends he can truly trust. He struggles with his older sister leaving for college. And of course, the pinnacle of growing up Asian in the Bay Area, he struggles with the high academic expectations of his mother.
However, unlike other movies with similar motifs, Didi is written accurately because it avoids over-dramatizing the interactions between family and friends. The bond between Chris and his sister Vivian feels genuine, depicting not only their petty conflicts, but also their heartwarming sibling relationship that grows between them as Vivian goes off to college. The anger and hurt children feel when parents compare them to others is also captured all too well through the passive aggressive lines.
Didi can also resonate with parents. Exploring the fine line between supporting children and controlling their actions, adults are likely to rethink their relationships with their sons and daughters after watching the film. Similarly, while watching Chris’s frustrated mother explain how she truly feels about her kids, children can empathize with the arduous challenges of parenting.
Director Sean Wang masterfully maintains balance throughout the film. The hilarious and heartbreaking moments complement each other, and all the characters are beautifully fleshed out—their stories unite like a puzzle to tell a complex tale. Set in the late 2000s, the film also skillfully captures the trends of the era, such as Myspace, YouTube and camcorders, allowing viewers to see the same struggles teens today face from a different perspective.
Whether you are going to laugh or shed a tear while watching “Didi”—or, probably, do both—it is certain to prompt a relevant and nostalgic reflection on your teenage years and family.
About the Contributors
Winston Chu
staff writer
Winston Chu is a junior at Leland High. This is his second year in Journalism, and his first year as a movie columnist. He enjoys speech and debate, watching television series, and sleeping.
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