By Sung Kim
YouTube sensation Kev Jumba (Kevin Wu) and movie star Justin Chon star in one of the most entertaining films of 2015, Man Up. Kevin, who plays Martin, is faced with a dilemma that many young people face today: early unwed pregnancies. Martin’s girlfriend, Madison (Galadriel Stineman), announces her pregnancy to Martin and he is left dumbfounded. Martin is kicked out of his parent’s house and struggles to prepare for his future life as a father.
However, Martin is not alone in this journey. He is fortunate enough to have his best friend Randall, played by Justin Chon, help him through this hard time. The two actors give a remarkable performance as they portray an Asian American lifestyle outside of the common Asian stereotypes.
The two actors put to shame the model minority myth that too many Asians have been pressured to live up to. Martin has no direction in life and Randall is a fatherless individual who also lacks direction in life. The movie does a great job in showing viewers that not every Asian is the stereotypical smart geek and that there are Asians that do not adhere to these categories. Justin’s character Randall, especially gives a different perspective into the Asian experience in this film as he is left to fend for himself by his neglectful mother.
Their role as best friends seem all too real as they do a terrific job of convincing the viewers that their friendship is one that is unbreakable. The movie is easily one of the best Asian American films out there and is a must watch. Man Up is definitely a fun comedy to watch with friends! My rating: 3.5 out of four stars.
Man Up debuts on CAAMFest at the New People’s Theater in San Francisco on March 13 & 15th and at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland on March 21.
