East Bay

This deeply original comedy asks what it means to be obsessed with success. A group of thirty and forty somethings strive and fail at art and life; they long for love (or just to win a pick-up hockey game). From an unexpectedly insecure self-help guru to a dating profile for a "bitter middle-aged guy" who looks suspiciously like the Dalai Lama, Danny Yoon hilariously critiques the belief that success is everything. The tightly written script combines pathos with crack comic timing and some surreal effects, and there's a delirious build-up of emotion as the characters stumble towards enlightenment, or at least acceptance of who they are.

This is an absolute masterpiece of a film. I have watched 1000+ movies in my life and this is first time I am reviewing one online. It is that wonderful. I laughed, I cried...multiple times. So heartfelt. The acting is phenomenal. Constance Wu is off the charts charismatic. The entire cast did such an amazing job. I cannot emphasize that enough. His parents were so cute! I was blown away. This film just works. I'm not sure how critics will describe or categorize this. But, see for yourself. I'm surprised I'm the first review here. When people see this of all ages and races, I'm so convinced others will agree. It is transcendent and touches on universal themes. Thought provoking, funny, hard to categorize really. It was wonderfully written and paced. So brilliant! The director, main actor, writer Daniel Yoon has created a masterpiece. So much heart! The last movie I enjoyed so much was Ladybird. Previous to that was You Can Count on Me when I saw that 22 years ago in theaters. Similarly, a small movie people had not really heard of. Bottom line: make sure people have access to the film. And watch it!

East bay is a funny, quirky, and heartwarming film that explores people's relationships with friends, family, and above all themselves through the eyes of a struggling film maker. When Jack (39) looses the few things in life that make him truly happy, he is forced to question his purpose in life. He feels like he is just a good for nothing, haggard Middle aged man. The story weaves in between reality and surrealism. By the end of the story, each person unravels and their flaws and true character are exposed. Every main character in the movie has a uniquely different personality and each actor did a great job balancing what is real, what is thought, and what is just for the camera.

East Bay feels like an epic film. Although made on a minuscule budget, there is non-stop action in the journey taken by the main character, Jack Lee, as he tries and "fails" to honour the sacrifice of his ancestors and immigrant parents. And also seeks the answers to meaning of life, along with a cast of fascinating and different characters. You see his stumbles in career, relationships, and film projects, and also hear his thoughts and experiernce his fantasies. This is a film jam-packed with humor, emotion, philosophy, feeling and also charm. It's filmed in some beautiful settings and set to an equally rich soundtrack. On top of that there are hockey scenes which serve to further illuminate the characters and how they relate to each other, in a way that I've never seen before. It's brilliant!

I've watched this a couple times at its theatrical launch in Toronto, and each time I get more of an appreciation for the fine writing and construction of this intricate film, of how all of its many elements fit together, as also for the performances of the main characters. Constance Wu in particular gives a wide-ranging yet subtle performance, beautifully done.

It's hard to believe this is an independent film that was self-financed. Although the fact that it took more than 10 years to complete (as explained in the Q&A after the launch) does partly explain the richness of the editing.

To be sure, this is not a film for the casual goer, but for those seeking something beyond classification that Hollywood can't or won't produce, devoid of all cliches, they will be richly rewarded.

Saw this at the Angelika in NYC. Didn't know what to expect aside from Constance Wu (who's awesome) as the star. I was completely taken by the irreverent and intelligent humor, raw and honest dialogue, and interesting characters. It was part contemplation on the big questions in life, the pressures to be successful and happy that Asian American immigrants face, and a showcase of non-stereotypical Asian American roles. Despite the film being very focused on the Asian immigrant experience, I found it very relatable because the themes and humor transcend lots of different categories.

After the film ended, the director/writer/lead actor Daniel Yoon and two actors (Kavi and Sam) gave a talk and answered questions for about an hour. That was equally interesting and fun to hear about the creative process and the work that went into it. Daniel mentioned that principle photography took place way back in 2010, because Constance Wu became famous for Crazy Rich Asians and Fresh Off the Boat. So you see her in excellent form in this little indie film before stardom, which is really cool. The other leads (Kavi, Sam, Daniel) also gave phenomenal performances. I can't wait to see the next film by this guy.