Plot: What’s it about?
The Wong family lives in a well to suburban neighborhood, in a home spacious enough for the five residents, with bright red front doors. The family is normal by most standards, though like any other family in America, the Wongs have their quirks and problems, inside and out. The head of the household is Ed (Tzi Ma), the father who just turned sixty and recently retired, starting his life after the workforce. While Ed is indeed the man of the house, it is his wife May-Li (Freda Foh Shen) who serves as the heart of the home. She keeps the routines of the house on track and keeps the family together, even in difficult times. The couple have three daughters, all grown and each with a unique personality and outlook. Sam (Jacqueline Kim) is the oldest and a no nonsense businesswoman, Julie (Elaine Kao) is on the road to a medical career, and youngest Katie (Kathy Shao-Line Lee) has the typical teen angst and loves to act out. Ed hasn’t handled his daughters growing up that well, with suicidal impulses, though he has yet to be successful. At the same time, each of the girls faces high stress situations, from marriage to unexpected romances, all while May-Li just tries to keep the household in check…
The independent cinema scene used to be cutting edge, with filmmakers who worked outside the system to craft films that major studios wouldn’t produce. But these days, independent filmmakers turn out just as many clunkers as the big studios, which is a sad statement. Red Doors is a prime example of how independent cinema can be just as bland and mediocre as Hollywood’s typical output. You can tell the filmmakers wanted to make Red Doors stand out, with quirky characters and a reliance on Asian American leads, but this is still pure formula with minimal innovation. I found the performances to be solid across the board, but the characters are so bland, those performances go to waste. The narrative is just so basic and follows the usual path, leaving us with a paint by numbers type picture. I almost started to count the cliches, as the movie ran through them one by one, as if the filmmakers wanted to make sure all the usual conventions were included. As I said, the cast is good and I also enjoyed the visuals, thanks to some very solid camera work. So while the story and direction leave a lot to be desired, Red Doors does have some admirable traits, even if they are rather limited. Red Doors isn’t unique enough to overcome its formulaic texture, so I just can’t recommend it, with so many more deserving films out there.
Video: How does it look?
Red Doors is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is what you’d expect from a new release, a clean and crisp visual effort. This was a rather low budget production, but still has a solid overall presence in terms of refinement. The print is clean and shows no real problems, so softness remains minimal and as a result, detail is high. The colors are bright and bold, while contrast is consistent, not much else we could want from this presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is basic on the whole, but that is all we need really, as the film is driven by dialogue and low impact audio. At times, the music will pick up and enhance the audio environment, but in the end, this is a conservative experience. No complaints however, as the material is well represented and that’s what matters, of course. The various sound effects come through well and dialogue is razor sharp, no flaws in the least there. Not a memorable track, but it covers the bases and that’s all we can ask in this case.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In the audio commentary track, director Georgia Lee comes right out and admits the production was more of a business venture, as opposed to a creative one. But she and two producers also talk about how they cut corners to make their budget work, which is sure to be insightful for those interested in filmmaking. I actually enjoyed this session more than I did the movie, but not enough to warrant the expense of this disc. Lee’s short film Educated is also included, as well as some interviews, a very brief look behind the scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
