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Red Doors
- Director: Georgia Lee
- Writer: Georgia Lee
- Producer: Lowell Bryan; Ira Deutchman
CGiii Comment
If you have seen 'Saving Face' then you've seen this...and, it shares a few its flaws, faults and sickly-sweet artificiality - but...don't let that put you off.
It does have one major exception - it has a most welcome darker side - especially the bored and suicidal father subplot which easily could have been a moving little film in its own right.
The theme of modernism clashing with tradition is so abundant now - with most of the entries barely scratching the surface - this tries but doesn't get too far - although the potential was there.
This is a much better film than Saving Face simply because Lee is a better writer and director than Wu - both films would lead you to believe that all Asian-Americans live a comfortable middle-class medical practitioner existence. They don't.
With a little more grit - maybe, Asian-American films can rival the home-grown Chinese produce.
This is evidence that the genre is moving in the right direction.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Red Doors tells the story of the Wongs, a bizarrely dysfunctional Chinese-American family living in the New York suburbs. Ed Wong has just retired and plots to escape his mundane life. However, the tumultuous, madcap lives of his three rebellious daughters change his plans. The eldest daughter, Samantha, is an ambitious businesswoman in Manhattan who suddenly gets cold feet about her upcoming marriage when she runs into an old high school flame. Julie, the shy middle sister, finds her life as a studious medical student turned upside down when she falls for a movie starlet visiting the hospital. Katie, the youngest sister, is a disaffected high school senior who engages in a continually escalating and dangerous prank war with her longtime neighbor and nemesis, Simon. Ultimately, Ed's disappearance compels each daughter to examine her own understanding of the role and connection she has to the family.
Cast & Characters
Tzi Ma as Ed Wong;
Jacqueline Kim as Samantha Wong;
Elaine Kao as Julie Wong;
Freda Foh Shen as May-Li Wong;
Kathy Shao-Lin Lee as Katie Wong;
Mia Riverton as Mia Scarlett;
Jayce Bartok as Mark;
Rossif Sutherland as Alex;
Sebastian Stan as Simon;
Stephen Rowe as Dr. Levy;
Cindy Cheung as Grace;
Mao Zhao as Master Shen;
Bridget White as Reception Nurse;
Coati Mundi as Dance Instructor;
Tyler Maynard as Trent