MS. PURPLE (2019)

Starring Tiffany Chu, Teddy Lee, Jake Choi

Directed by Justin Chon

Written by Justin Chon and Chris Dinh

Distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories. 89 minutes. Opening 9/6 at the Nuart Theatre.

“373 backers pledged $73,634 to help bring this project to life.” That’s the impressive takeaway from director Justin Chon’s Kickstarter page for his third independent feature film, Ms. Purple. Chon, who stunned audiences and critics alike with his sophomore film, Gook, once again brings a heartfelt story of Asian American cultural identity and the basic human desire of belonging to the streets of Los Angeles.

Ms. Purple centers around 23-year-old Kasie (Tiffany Chu) who unexpectedly finds herself the sole caretaker of her bedridden, comatose, dying father. Abandoned by her mother as a child, Kasie has always struggled with isolation and feelings of low self-worth, as depicted in the film’s beautifully shot opening montage where she wanders alone and aimlessly down Koreatown streets. To make a living, Kasie depends on the seedy Soop Sok karaoke lounge, a local hotspot in the K-town pay-for-play market, where she works as a “hostess” (among other favors male customers may ask of her). Just as she feels like the world is caving in on her, Kasie’s estranged brother Carey (Teddy Lee) agrees to return home and help with their father. Here begins the slow process of bridging the fractured familial gap between sister, brother, and father.

The brother-sister relationship between Carey and Kasie is an enviable one. They have much love for each other, and their dynamic reflects an undeniable sibling bond where things are often silently understood without the need to speak. It’s clear throughout the film, that the relationship between Kasie and Carey is very tight-knit, and I couldn’t help but reflect at how fortunate I am to have a similarly close relationship with my own brother.

Visually, Ms. Purple is a dreamy concoction of Wong Kar-wai, PT Anderson, and Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight all rolled into one. The collection of colors, from sharp neon lights of the karaoke club to the naturalism of the morning sunrise, are exuberant. These pitch-perfect surroundings amplify the powerful performances from the whole cast, especially Tiffany Chu, whose raw emotions are felt bubbling to the surface throughout the entire film.

Ms. Purple is an all-around electrifying visual experience, from the production design to the soundtrack (available on Note For Note Records) and of course, the authentic and confident directorial choices. Justin Chon has made another powerhouse film that feels far bigger than the result of a modest Kickstarter campaign. Support true independent film by catching Ms. Purple this weekend, no doubt you’ll leave the theatre inspired by both the film’s message and the future of such new, diverse voices in filmmaking.