When it comes to 2024 movies, it’s been a good year thus far, but some of my favorites to come out were vastly under-appreciated when they hit theaters. One of them I highly recommend just became available to stream for those with a Peacock subscription, and I need to talk about it.
If You Have Peacock, It’s The Perfect Time To Give Dídi A Try
A movie called Dìdi only made $5 million at the worldwide box office when it hit theaters back in July, but it deserves way more love than that now that it’s new on streaming. When it comes to Rotten Tomatoes, it's one of most highly rated movies of the year (based on critic’s thoughts), as Sean Wang’s directorial debut is just four points away from a perfect score. Plus, audiences are loving it too, as it has a comparable 92% on the site’s Popcornmeter. People are calling it an “earnest” and “relatable” coming of age movie, and I definitely believe its one of this year’s best.
Dìdi takes place in the summer of 2008 through the eyes of a 13-year-old Taiwanese American kid named Chris Wang living in Fremont, California. It’s the age of MySpace, AIM and early YouTube, and as someone who was around his age during this year, it perfectly captures what it was like to be a cringey middle schooler in the 2000s. As someone who truly left those memories and feelings safely in the past, I was completely taken aback at how nostalgic and healing Dìdi was for my 12-year-old self. It’s also a beautiful combination of funny and moving, and yes, it's in the vein of Eighth Grade.
Joan Chen’s Performance In Dídi Has My Vote For The 2025 Oscars
Sean Wang Talks The Making Of Dìdi (弟弟) | ReelBlend Interview
As someone with my own immigrant parent experience, I love that Dìdi could tell a genuine story that feels authentic to the filmmaker’s own life and universal at the same time. What I especially loved about it is Chris is this nuanced kid who is flawed and very human. Even if you weren’t a 2000s punk skater kid like Chris, there’s something I think anyone can take away from this under-the-radar film. One particular element of it I want to talk about is how incredible of a performance Joan Chen gives as Chris’s mom, Chungsing.
The Chinese actress, who has been acting in Chinese and Hollywood movies and TV since the '80s, gives an all-time great supporting performance. She really captures some complex emotions of watching your kids grow up (her daughter is also about to move to college in the movie) and the sacrifices that come with being a mother. Oftentimes when you are a kid that age, your mother can be an ultimate source of embarrassment and stress, but there’s a scene in Dìdi that brought me to tears and made me want to run and hug my own mother.
It’s early when it comes to awards season (and the Oscar host is still up in the air), but I’ll absolutely be rooting for Joan Chen to get a Best Supporting Actress nod, along with more recognition for this movie. It’s been three months since I’ve seen Dìdi, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Your turn!
