Since the tremendous commercial success of the film “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018, there has been a gradual increase in the number of pictures being produced in America that depict the lives of its Asian citizens. This trend allows for the presentation of the experiences of this over 20 million-strong group of people to a broad audience. Such portrayal can be seen in “Smoking Tigers”, a full-length debut by So Young Shelly Yo. The movie, made by a first-generation Korean-American director, screenwriter, and editor from California, was praised by critics and received several awards, including for the Best Performance, the Best Screenplay, and the Nora Ephron Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Smoking Tigers is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase
After her two previous shorts, “Moonwalk with Me” from 2018 and “Soft Sounds of Peeling Fruit” from 2021, So Young Shelly Yo continues to touch on the topic of a young person of Korean descent in America. In “Smoking Tigers” the narrative centers around Hayoung (Yoo Ji-young), a 16-year-old girl, as her mother (Abin Andrews) signs her up for studying in a hagwon, where other students come from considerably wealthier families. As her parents carry the financial costs of this opportunity, she carries the emotional cost of trying to fit in with her new classmates.
The very title suggests that in her film, she attempts to tackle the idea of the American Dream. The term “smoking tigers” seems to reference how Korean fairytales start – “back when tigers smoked”, which means that something happened a very long time ago. Although the deconstruction of the concept that America was at some point in history a land of opportunities for everybody is not a straightforward one, the movie neatly shows the aspects of class struggle in the contemporary United States.
The film might be described as a typical coming-of-age story because its protagonist is a teenager, or it emphasizes the emotional growth of the main character. However, the narrative, while indeed focusing on Hayoung's perspective, portrays a wide spectrum of experiences of diverse individuals – her goofy father (Jeong Jun-ho) tries to keep his business viable, her down-to-earth mother does her best to guarantee a bright future for her daughters amidst financial troubles, while Hayoung's younger sister (Erin Choi) tries to understand the changes in their family. The movie presents its themes without harsh judgment, and the viewer might find something to relate to in every character.
One of the biggest merits of the film is the cinematography by Heyjin Jun. The camera work is very delicate, steady and calm – it simply presents the story to the audience without redundant tricks. Worth mentioning is definitely the artful use of reflections, that emphasize the protagonist's dual identity. An excellent complement to this visual aesthetic is the music by Masayoshi Fujita, for whom this movie is also a debut, as it is the first time he composed a soundtrack for a motion picture. His ambient music with vibraphone sounds adds a lot of depth to already beautiful shots.
“Smoking Tigers” might not be the most original nor revolutionary debut, but undeniably it is not only well-made, but also feels authentic and honest. So Young Shelly Yo makes the most of the movie's relatively short running time, which totals at 85 minutes, although it could use some extra scenes to resonate more effectively. Nevertheless, it is a good addition to what some might call the Asian-American Wave in film, with other examples like “The Farewell” from 2019, “Minari” from 2020 or “Past Lives” from 2023.
