The multi-hyphenate creative force that is Randall Park has cultivated quite a career in the past couple of decades. He’s an actor, comedian, and writer, and now he can add director to his resume with his directorial debut Shortcomings, based on Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel of the same name. Tomine wrote the screenplay which centers on three young Bay Area millennials as they navigate precarious interpersonal relationships.

Shortcomings had its world premiere at Sundance, so it’s amusing to see the opening scene set in a film festival screening. The movie gets thunderous applause as the end credits roll, but Ben (Justin H. Min) is blasé about it. His girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki)  happens to be the film festival organizer who might have a hand in selecting the movie, yet he doesn’t spare her feelings when she asks him what he thinks of the movie. While Miko thinks it’s a game-changer in terms of Asian representation, Ben resents its glorification of ‘capitalistic fantasy’ and that he prefers movies with flawed humans. The movie in question takes a jab at an Asian-led glossy blockbuster rom-com where everyone is gorgeous and crazy-rich (sounds familiar?) It’s decidedly meta as there are a few actors from that 2018 movie in this one.

Ben’s queer BFF Alice (Sherry Cola) calls him out on his utter lack of empathy and support towards Miko. Most women would likely have broken up with Ben years ago, yet somehow Miko continues to give him a chance, even after she discovers x-rated videos on his laptop that confirm her suspicion of his obsessions with white blond women. Though Ben refutes the theory that race plays into his type, he immediately proves Miko’s theory right when she temporarily moves to NYC for an internship. ‘When the cat’s away the mice will play,’ Ben quips playfully, and soon he hits on his new blond co-worker Autumn (Tavi Gevinson).

As someone who has plenty of female Asian friends who marry white men, the commentary about interracial relationships makes me cringe a few times. But it’s hilarious too, especially in regards to Ben’s paradoxical ideas about Asian men dating white women vs white guys who date Asian women. The NYC scene with Miko’s fashion designer boyfriend Leon (Timothy Simons) comically plays on Asian stereotypes that many white guys often assume a man of Asian descent would automatically know Kung-fu.

Now, while Ben is decidedly unpleasant and his flaws are many, Park doesn’t make him out to be an outright villain. I find it refreshing to see an unlikable protagonist whose cynicism and self-loathing run amok. Thanks to Min’s charismatic portrayal, you’re still able to sympathize with Ben despite his, well, shortcomings. While watching the movie, I came to realize Min is the actor playing the robot in After Yang. He’s certainly a versatile actor and he further proves he can be a bonafide lead.

The supporting cast is terrific all around. The standout is definitely Sherry Cola who at first reminds me a bit of Awkwafina, but I’m glad she’s not just there to deliver silly one-liners. Alice can be acerbic but she’s got heart and she is a well-rounded character with flaws of her own, instead of just a stock character to fulfill an LGBTQ quota. The lovely Sonoya Mizuno (who’s also played a robot once before in Ex Machina) is memorable as Alice’s new girlfriend, as is Debby Ryan whose spot-on remark to Ben is one of the most memorable lines in the movie. MCU fans will recognize Jacob Batalon as a movie theater worker who makes a meta quip about Disney machinations and the Spider-man movies he’s starred in. Park himself has a brief cameo in a restaurant scene.

I haven’t read Tomine’s comics, but I think the material translates well to the screen. The movie at times feels a bit experimental, what with the random title cards (is that supposed to be chapters?) and wildly eccentric characters (one who takes Polaroid photos of her pee every day). The jokes don’t always land but there are enough of them that work to make an enjoyable experience. Just like the title, the movie itself is far from perfect, but it’s irreverent, relatable, and human, which is more than I can say about a lot of movies of its ilk. Overall, it’s a solid debut from Park, certainly a welcome addition to slowly flourishing Asian-American voices.

Have you seen SHORTCOMINGS? What did you think?

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