Smoking Tigers

... But may not find one. Turns out that not all Asians are crazy, or rich, or martial arts masters, or communicating with the Gods on Five Elements Mountain. This is the tale of a Korean teenager, superbly portrayed byJi-young Yoo, who (of course) has a lot of confusion in her young life. Her father is estranged from her mother, and is headed back to Korea. Her mother spends every spare dime trying to help her daughter with academic achievement. And, as with any teen anywhere, all the poor girl wants to do is impress her friends (even if it means pretending to be what she is not) and find out who she really is. Well done. But nothing new. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The story centers on Hayoung and Ji-young Yoo's beautiful portrayal of teenage anxiety and personal growth. The film's most outstanding achievement is its humanistic approach. Despite blending cultures and worldviews, the film offers a universal take. Fears and hopes transcend a nation's borders. It is the human experience to yearn for more than what currently exists. Finding beauty in the broken images instead of turning away in disgust is quite powerful, fostering a sense of connection and empathy. Smoking Tigers provides a compelling arc of finding hope, even in the face of flaws and loneliness, for what is life if not a series of steps forward? This film is bold in its willingness to showcase that growing up does not mean figuring everything out but being able to learn. Though some might find this take a bit dramatic, that is ultimately the film's greatest strength. There is a poignancy in the bittersweet truths of life that allows us insight. We can still feel whole even in the face of disappointment or rejection. Full review at Geek Vibes Nation.