Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie Review

"You always assume the worst about me and then you end up acting crazy over nothing!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown December 1, 2023

"Eh." Shrugs shoulders. Checks time. "Hm." Face lights a bit at something amusing. "Heh heh heh." Stretches as movies drags again. "Ooph. How much gaslighting is in this flick?" Yawn. "Sigh." These are the sounds and mumblings of a man who watches a film he knows is made to connect but also realizes that connection is aimed at a group of people that does not include him, with life experiences different than what he knows. And if you think I'm dancing around the word "asian", think again. I didn't feel alienated by Shortcomings because of its windows into another culture. I felt alienated by its unlikable, mean-spirited sadsack of a protagonist. Positive reviews attribute Ben's unlikability to the story's success, to which I say, "ummmm..." I know that film has long been a medium that transcends such things, bringing us into deeper empathy with others outside of our own frameworks. But the films that do so effectively and meaningfully are those that deliberately construct footholds within the story and characters that an outsider can climb, inch by inch, to reach the emotional peak of the movie. I'm not sure Shortcomings is one of those films. (Insert clever critical turn of phrase using the word "shortcomings" here.) Truth be told, I was so turned off by Ben -- rude, dismissive and arrogant -- that I had a hard time enjoying the admittedly sharp script, funny as hell banter and thought-provoking discussions of everything from race to sexuality, adulthood and artistic expression.

Ben (Justin Min), a struggling filmmaker, lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival. When he’s not managing an art house movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), a queer grad student and serial dater. When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices and begins to explore what he thinks he might want. The film also stars director Randall Park, Stephanie Hsu, Tavi Gevinson, Debby Ryan, Ronny Chieng, Timothy Simons, Scott Seiss, Sonoya Mizuno, David Niu, Jacob Batalon and Mike Cabellon.

Justin Min does a fantastic job of offering us Ben's tattered shoes so we can walk a proverbial mile or two. He's so good that I genuinely hated Ben, as in I became physically uneasy whenever he opened his mouth, and that takes some real acting chops. So then whatever criticism I have, whatever discomfort I felt, my distaste for the bulk of the film must be blamed on, who? Filmmaker Randall Park? But I really like Randall Park. He's the kind of guy I'd grab dinner with in a second. He's clearly got a handle on directing a tricky flick, and his heart and humor somehow fill the air from behind the camera; he works closely with each actor and his chemistry with his cast transforms into their chemistry on screen. Just as it should in a well-directed dramedy. Ok then, maybe screenwriter Adrian Tomine, who's adapting his own graphic novel of the same name. No... Ben works wonderfully on the pen-and-ink comics page, a serialized series that amusingly tracks Ben's struggles with identity and race as he yearns to succeed in American society. Tomine knows his stuff, and can draw and write his way out of any corner. And nothing here feels false, or poorly written. Well what about Min's co-stars? Maki and Cola? It can't possibly fall to them, they're not only a crucial part of the cast, they handle their on-screen relationships, conversations and run-ins as if they are Miko and Alice, who serve as breaths of fresh air; counterbalances to whatever mood Ben finds himself in. They, along with Tomine, make it abundantly clear how two such women could ever tolerate the embodiment of harumph that is Ben. I believed in their performances and, better still, I enjoyed everything they bring to the story and film.

So who then?

Ah, that's it! I figured out who's to blame. I know who's at fault.

Me. A fitting realization to have while watching a movie about a grating narcissist. The irony isn't lost on me. In film criticism we're tasked, often by our own definition of what is expected, to not simply discuss our personal negative reaction to a film, but rather to explain why a film is a failure because we had a negative reaction. We all secretly want to bask in the light of Roger Ebert and be considered his equal. Don't misunderstand, some movies just suck. I get it. But others... well, others are meant for a specific fanbase, moviegoer or even individual, and a reviewer, a critic, can't always slide comfortably through every genre door. Well then, assign it to another reviewer! Find people who love every genre equally! Pass a movie around until someone who likes it as much as me is the one who ends up writing about it! Unfortunately, words like "deadline" and... um, "deadlines" make all of this impossible. Moreover, the thrill of filmgoing is having unexpected love or unexpected hate for a film. The reaction is the experience, however subjective it may be.

And that's where critics so often forget what their role actually is: subjective observer and articulate reporter of a subject experience. With that in mind: subjectively, I despise the Fast & Furious series. And yet it remains popular, beloved and a beast at the box office, forty-two sequels in. See how that works? Ah. You can love Fast X and I don't have to. And that doesn't mean it's great or terrible. Now, to the film at hand. I didn't connect to Shortcomings. Ben wouldn't let me. Thus the 3 out of 5 at the top of this page. Others will find the film to be powerfully relevant to today's young adult culture; even familiar, depending on their age, recalling the cynical days of their own self-discovery, when pessimism could rear its head and leave one reeling, or descending into a depressive state that results in lashing out, insulting and emotionally abusing others. Which is where Justin Min's Ben is when we meet him and remains as we follow him through the trials and tribulations of life that -- surprise, surprise -- are often self-fulfilling prophecies.

Hm. On reflection, maybe Shortcomings had more to it than I thought...

Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Another new Sony Pictures release, another tip-top 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer. There's a bit of indie softness lurking in the photography, and a leaning toward golden/amber hues at times, but it all falls within style and intention. Detail is actually quite notable, even if it isn't screaming for your attention. Textures are natural and refined, edges are defined nicely and delineation is suitably revealing. The color palette is convincing as well, with lifelike fleshtones and solid black levels. (The darkest shadows aren't inky, resting a few shades above pitch black, but there isn't a contrast leveling issue at fault.) I didn't notice any significant instances of banding, unruly noise or macroblocking either, and the film has been given plenty of bitrate to breathe. This is another terrific Sony presentation.

Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shortcomings is an exceedingly chatty, dialogue-heavy movie and Sony's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't drift too far off the beaten dramedy path. Voices are clear and smartly prioritized; never buried, never too hot, always nestled neatly between any music that comes into play and the various soundscape elements on hand. The rear speakers are light but responsive, offering a smattering of subdued but effective surround effects. Channel pans are smooth as well, and low-end output is decent, considering the genre. There are a few scenes that rely on more immersive sonics but, truth be told, they're few and far between. This is a front-weighted, conversational mix that isn't exactly teeming with jaw-dropping, chest-thumping audio wonders. At least there aren't any distractions or problems to report.

Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No special features are included with the Blu-ray release of Shortcomings.

Shortcomings Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shortcomings will either hook or irritate you. It's a divisive film with an intentionally off-putting protagonist. A bold move from a story perspective. Effective? Engaging? That will come down to your own subjective take and personal life experiences. Thankfully, Sony delivers a strong AV presentation, meaning any issue you have with the movie won't trace back to its AV presentation. I do wish there were special features on tap, if only to take a look at Adrian Tomine's adaptative process, original graphic novel and differences between the comic and the film, but the barebones nature of the release isn't as disappointing as it might be with other flicks. I'd recommend giving this one a try. You might hate Ben, but you might also find more to love in his friends and his world than I did.