GOLDEN DELICIOUS
Canada, 2022, 120 minutes, Colour.
Cardi Wong, Chris Carson, Permiss Sehat, Ryan Mah, Leeeah Wong, Zavien Garrett, Jesse Hyde, Hunter Dillon.
Directed by Jason Karman.
Golden Delicious is, in fact, the name of a restaurant. In the setting is the Chinese community in Canada, their being part of the broad Canadian community, their special traditions, adaptation to the American continent and way of life.
At the centre of the story is a 17-year-old son of the restaurant owners, Jake (convincingly genial performance from Hardy Wong). He is a keen photographer. He has a girlfriend who is avidly devoted to him. His father, a basketball player but injured and withdrawing, dominates his son for practice. His mother is weary at the restaurant. His sister wants to continue developing cooking of Chinese food, something her mother is against.
At school, Jake has some friends, they play basketball together, and dominated by the captain.
The screenplay indicates to the audience that this is a coming-of-age film, that it is a film where the young man will become more aware of his sexual orientation, experiences difficulties and homophobia, come to terms with it and live acceptably in society, with his family and friends.
The focus of this growing awareness is the arrival of the next-door neighbour, Alex (Chris Carson) openly gay, skilful at basketball, the growing friendship between Jake and Alex. Not without self awareness, the impact for the girlfriend, for the school friends, attacks by the homophobic captain, the parents and sister coming to terms with the revelation when it is cruelly exposed on social media.
However, most of the atmosphere of the film is very genial with a happy ending – and a rather gentle comeuppance for the homophobic, simply showing him at the dance approaching the girls and their deciding to walk away from him, leaving Jake and Alex happily together.
A film which will resonate with young men discovering in coming to terms with their sexual orientation and a film which might be very helpful for parents.
- The title, the name of the restaurant, the tone?
- A Canadian film, the Chinese-Canadian community? In the context of the wide Canadian community, English-speaking, education, sport, relationships?
- The city setting, homes, school, streets, the restaurant, realistic atmosphere? The musical score?
- Jake’s story, his age, teenage, his place in the family, relationship with Janet and their discussions, rivalries? His relationship with his parents, his mother support, his dominating father, the basketball practice, insisting, causing the injury, the father’s injury and his limp? At school, dithering about university applications? His camera, love of photography? The relationship with Valerie, her devotion to him, over the years, his hesitations with her, her insistence, the sexual encounter and the aftermath? His noticing Aleks next door, the attraction, basketball dribbling? Photographing him?
- The background of the family, the narration about the pregnancy, the young marriage, inheriting the restaurant, scenes of the restaurant, the demands, Andrea and her being weary, bickering with George? Their arriving’s home separately? Her criticism of Janet’s cooking, not wanting her to continue with the Chinese style, inherited from the grandmother whose picture is on the wall, but Janet following her dream, cooking the meal, sharing with Jake, her mother tasting it but refusing? The increasing clash, the separation?
- Aleks, moving with his family, going to school, basketball skills, openly gay? Befriending Jake, defending him? The group playing basketball, Ronald and his sneers, at the game, in the corridors, the fights? His homophobia and aggression? The fight and breaking Jake’s camera?
- Jake, how aware of his orientation, his genuine friendship with Valerie, but his hesitations, Valerie as a character, love, determination?
- Jake and Aleks watching the television, Jake and the kissing, Aleks and the stripping, interrupted by the parents? The aftermath? Jake going with Valerie to the party, Aleks and his approach, going upstairs, the sexual encounter, Valerie discovery, going downstairs, everybody with their camera, the exposure?
- The consequences for Jake? Going by himself? Social media? Janet and her discovery, his parents? The family coming together, seeking out Jake, supportive of him?
- The reconciliation with Aleks? The preparation for going to the dance? Dressing in the suit, the rainbow tie? The support of his parents?
- At the dance, their being together, the continued support of Gary and Sam, the relationship, dancing together?
- Ronald, the quiet treatment of his comeuppance, approaching Valerie, the girls walking away from him, his being alone?
- Jake, true to himself, acknowledging his orientation, the relationship with Aleks, his future?
