DIDI
Note: This Movie recap was submitted by Shorif
The movie kicks off with Chris, a regular teenager, living in a suburban neighborhood. We’re introduced to his family: his mother, Chungsing, who’s an artist trying to find her way; his older sister, Vivian, who is about to leave for college; and his Nai Nai, who lives with them. Chris’s father works in Taiwan, so it’s just the four of them at home.
In these early scenes, we see the tension between Chris and his sister Vivian. They argue, like many siblings do, but there’s an underlying sense of loss as she prepares to leave for college. For Chris, this is just one more thing that makes life feel a little harder.
Nai Nai, who represents the older generation, provides the family with wisdom but also faces her own struggles, as her health begins to decline. There’s a touching scene where Chris helps Nai Nai after she falls outside, unable to get up for hours. She talks about her fear of not living long enough to see Chris grow up and graduate, a poignant moment that highlights the theme of growing older and the passage of time.
Chris spends most of his time with his best friends, Fahad Mahmood and Jimmy “Soup” Kim. These two are his partners-in-crime, and they get up to all sorts of teenage mischief together.
The movie shows the trio hanging out, goofing off, and just trying to make sense of the world around them. They’re inseparable and share many of the same experiences, like navigating crushes and trying to fit in with the cooler kids.
One day, they’re invited to a party at their friend Hardeep’s house. It’s at this party where Chris’s teenage awkwardness really comes into play. He’s nervous because Madi, the girl he has a huge crush on, is going to be there. Things get even more nerve-wracking for Chris when, after excusing himself to go to the bathroom, he stumbles upon Madi and her friend hanging out upstairs.
Chris, being a typical 13-year-old, is awkward around Madi. However, she doesn’t seem to mind and even suggests that Chris add her on Facebook. Chris, of course, agrees, but not without feeling incredibly nervous. At one point, when the girls aren’t looking, Chris sneaks out of the room, and the movie cleverly hints that he’s embarrassed because of an erection. These little moments of awkwardness and insecurity are sprinkled throughout the film, capturing the essence of being a young teen.
Back home, Chris decides to take the plunge and joins Facebook. He messages Madi, trying to impress her. At one point, he pretends to like the movie “A Walk to Remember” to break the ice, despite never having seen it and not even realizing it’s a romantic drama. His attempts at impressing Madi are endearing but also painfully relatable for anyone who remembers the awkwardness of first crushes.
Not long after, Chris meets a group of older, cooler boys at the skate park: Donovan, Cory, and Nugget. He admires their skateboarding skills and wants to be part of their crew. So, when they ask him if he’s good at filming tricks, Chris lies and says he has a lot of experience.
The boys give Chris a chance, letting him film their skate moves. Desperate to fit in, Chris rushes home and deletes all the embarrassing videos he’s made with Fahad and Soup, worried that the skaters will think he’s a loser if they see them.
This begins a new chapter in Chris’s summer, as he spends more time with the skaters and less time with Fahad and Soup. He’s chasing a new identity, but the pressure of fitting in with the older boys starts to weigh on him.
Despite trying to keep cool with the skaters, Chris’s mind is still on Madi. She eventually gives him her number, and they start texting. One day, Madi invites Chris to hang out, and they meet at the playground. It’s a classic teen moment where Chris is both excited and terrified.
Madi suggests they play “The Nervous Game,” where she moves her hand closer to him, asking if he’s nervous. Chris, already overwhelmed, admits that he’s nervous just as things are about to get intimate. Madi stops, and the moment is lost.
Later, Chris is too embarrassed to face her again, and instead of talking it out, he blocks her on AIM. This decision haunts him, as it pushes him further into isolation.
At home, things aren’t going any better. The movie gives us a deeper look into Chris’s family life. His mom, Chungsing, is struggling to balance her artistic dreams with the realities of raising two kids on her own. Meanwhile, Chris overhears arguments between Chungsing and Nai Nai, with Nai Nai complaining that the house is falling apart without her son around.
There’s also more tension between Chris and Vivian. In one heated exchange, Chris tells Vivian that he hates her and can’t wait for her to leave for college. Vivian, while hurt by her brother’s words, continues to care for him, showing that sibling love runs deep, even through the tough times.
As the summer progresses, Chris starts to hang out more with Donovan, Cory, and Nugget. He joins them at a party with older kids, where he’s exposed to drinking and drugs. In an attempt to impress his new friends, Chris drinks alcohol and even swallows a joint, leading him to hallucinate and get sick.
The movie shows Chris stumbling home, throwing up, and his sister Vivian stepping in to help him without telling their mom. This scene highlights the strained but loving bond between the siblings, as Vivian tries to protect Chris from getting into more trouble.
After the party, Chris’s new friends come over to check out the footage he filmed of their skate tricks. Unfortunately, they’re not impressed. The footage is shaky, and Chris completely missed the shot of Donovan doing a grind after an argument with a security guard.
What’s worse, Chris’s mom comes into the room to greet his friends, and Chris, in a moment of frustration, shoves her out, telling her to leave. The skaters don’t like how Chris treats his mom, and they decide they’ve had enough of him. Chris is once again left feeling alone, rejected by the boys he worked so hard to impress.
With the skaters no longer his friends and things falling apart with Madi, Chris hits a low point. He gets into a fight with Josh, a classmate who teases him about Madi. Chris, in a fit of anger, hits Josh with his skateboard and punches him in the face.
After the fight, Josh’s parents get involved, and Chris’s mom has to pick him up. In the car, Chris explodes at his mother, yelling that he’s embarrassed to be her son. He compares himself to his more successful cousin, feeling like he’ll never measure up.
Chris runs away from the car and goes to the playground, where he reflects on everything that’s gone wrong. When he eventually returns home, he tries to apologize to his mom. In an emotional conversation, Chungsing shares a story about how Vivian once ran away from home at 14, and even though it’s hard, she still loves her children deeply.
The summer ends, and it’s time for Chris to start high school. On the first day, he sees Madi and tries to apologize for ghosting her. However, Madi isn’t interested anymore, especially after hearing about his fight with Josh.
But not everything is lost. At school, Chris signs up for a visual arts club, where he bumps into Fahad and Soup. To his relief, they greet him warmly, showing that their friendship might still be intact, despite the rocky summer.
The movie ends on a quiet note. Chris’s mom picks him up from school, and they go home for dinner. Nai Nai sleeps in the other room, and while everything isn’t perfect, there’s a sense that things will be okay.
DIDI is a touching film about the challenges of growing up, navigating friendships, and finding your place in the world. Through Chris’s journey, we see how difficult it can be to balance the expectations of others, deal with family struggles, and figure out who you are.
But ultimately, DIDI shows that even when life gets tough, there’s always hope. With the support of family and friends, Chris starts high school ready to face the next chapter of his life.