G**k (2017)

*Quick note: I have no arguments about filmmaker Justin Chon naming this movie as he did, but since I’m not Asian American, I’m going to censor the title while I write about it.*

I’ve been aware of this movie for a while and was interested in it, but I’d never seen it. The last time I searched, I was pleased to see that it had made its way to Amazon Prime, so I finally sat down to watch. While the film is noticeably unpolished in places, it also has a very tactile, human feeling to it, which makes both comedic and dramatic scenes land well.

Eli and Daniel are trying to keep the family shoe store afloat in LA. Well, Eli is trying. Between Daniel giving “discounts” to pretty customers, a young girl named Kamilla helping out and causing trouble in equal measure, and the hotheaded convenience store owner across the street, it’s an uphill battle. But just another day in LA is about to turn upside down—everyone’s anxiously awaiting the Rodney King verdict, and once the news comes out, explosions of anger begin to erupt around the streets.

The subject of this film is interesting in several ways. First, even though it takes place at the onset of the 1992 LA riots, it’s not specifically “about” the riots. They play a critical role in the film, increasingly so in the second half, but the story remains closely focused on Eli, Daniel, Kamilla, and those around them, a microcosm of the larger historical event. And second, it’s a story that looks at the riots from more of a dual perspective. Writer/director/star Justin Chon, himself Korean American, places the primary focus on this pair of Korean American business owners working in a Black neighborhood. He shows how Eli and Daniel are viewed by other folks around town, even before the riots kick off, as well as how the brothers try to distance themselves from the openly prejudiced Mr. Kim. At the same time, though, the film also shows us Kamilla’s point of view, that of a young Black girl who doesn’t fully understand all the tensions at  play here but feels caught in the middle.

For the most part, I’d say the movie is successful in what it sets out to do. There are a few too many “heated argument” scenes where two characters (one of whom is usually Eli) just sort of shout the F-word back and forth at each other for a while. And the tone shifts between something that’s bleak but hopeful to something that’s just bleak—that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does affect the viewing experience. However, it’s also funny, affecting, and grounded, fleshing out its small cast of characters well and helping you understand all of them, even at their most unsympathetic.

The best part of the film is the dynamic between Kamilla and the two brothers, especially Eli. Here’s this kid who’s a bit at loose ends, but she’s close to these two guys who are viewed with suspicion by many in the neighborhood. Eli is perpetually stressed and frequently repeats that he doesn’t have time to deal with her, but he continues to let Kamilla hang around, spending time with her as a safe adult looking out for a neighborhood kid. As the unrest starts spreading through the streets, Kamilla wants to return the favor and look out for him in return.

Warnings

Violence (including references to police violence,) language (including racial slurs,) sexual references, drinking/smoking/drug references, and strong thematic elements.