Quiz Lady

For the first time in a really long time, we have a movie with an original plot, a solid cast, and zero gimmicks. I felt as though every character could actually be someone I know, so the movie was very relatable for me. It's funny, it's heartfelt, and it's creative.

I live under a rock, so I didn't know who Awkwafina was, but now I'm a fan! She's a solid talent and I hope to see more from her. I was thrilled to see Sandra Oh in a character so far removed from her Grey's Anatomy character, and I thought she sparkled.

I love going into movies without knowing anything about the plot, so I started this one to pass some time and ended up cancelling an appointment so I could finish it. I now have leg hair of unspeakable length, but it was worth it.

Quiz Lady is a lovely comedy that overcomes its issues with the noticeable gaps between laughs thanks to how warm it feels from the beginning. It celebrates the thankless acts siblings will do for each other as well as how vital it is to have one consistently reliable form of joy when everything else kinda sucks, regardless of it being a game show in this case. Plus the spread out collection of successful jokes are pretty memorable.

Awkwafina does a great job playing the straight man for the most part whilst still finding some time to let loose occasionally and Sandra Oh is having a lot of fun being the more unhinged one out of the two of them with the emotional moments to balance it all out. Will Ferrell is very genial in his small role as the game show host and Jason Schwartzman hides his villainy under a thin veil of kindness really well.

Jessica Yu's direction is always more than competent enough to get the job done but the best creative flourishes arrive in the middle section of the film with a standout sequence involving conflicting hallucinations during a high stakes audition. The comedic timing is generally strong when it's actually utilised because those bits don't overstay their welcome and there are a couple of seriously snappy one liners.

In fresh, charming comedy "Quiz Lady" nerdy Awkwafina's life centres around her dog and her fave tv quiz show (with host Will Ferrell & smarmy champ Jason Schwartzman) - so when her dog's kidnapped by mobster Jon Park, her sister Sandra Oh & crotchety neighbour Holland Taylor 'convince' her to go on the show to raise his ransom. It's pretty daft & silly, but Jen D'Angelo infuses ample sisterly warmth into her second screenplay, and director Jessica Yu elicits fine comic performances from her impressive cast (including a Paul Reubens cameo in his final movie - RIP). While not the most demanding or high-brow film out there, it's heart-lifting and fun. Good enough.

I laughed at this movie so much, Awkwafina is perfect in every film she's in. She plays the complete opposite of her famous Peik Lin Goh "Asian Ellen" character from Crazy Rich Asians and still absolutely kills it as a shy, obsessively organized office worker who is probably "on the spectrum." Sandra Oh shows up as her insane but loveable older sister. I was dying when Oh, as a middle aged woman, put on puffy pink sleeves and platform sneakers like a K-Pop fan half her age ..in fact she doubles down HARD on this K-Pop vibe variously throughout the film despite playing a Chinese woman in her 40s. The film is constantly messing with stereotypes this way, using them preemptively to mess with the viewer as part of the joke (Sandra Oh is actually a Canadian-American woman of Korean descent).

Just watch it if you're looking for something super fun to laugh at.

First, Sandra Oh needs to stick to comedy. I have never enjoyed her in dramas, she comes across as whiny and cold but she is terrific in this and a good foible for Awkwafina.

Not a laugh out loud comedy but touching and sweet. Will Farrell should stick to smaller parts like this. When he's the lead he is overwhelming but in smaller parts he often steals the show. The best part is that you don't even see it as an "Asian" movie, you just see two damaged people looking for a purpose in life. When race disappears in movies, you know that it's a well written and well acted film.

Give this one a chance.