‘Chang Can Dunk Review: A Disney+ ComingofAge Charmer Thats Not As Formulaic As It Appears

It's easy to think that the last offering on Disney+ would be a touching sports film about misfits. After all, this movie is about a 16 year old Asian American high school student trying to prove that despite being 5ft 8in, he can still move fast. So that's exactly what you can expect from Chang . Can Dunk, the titular hero who defies odds, will defeat his opponent and win the hearts of all involved.

Yes and no. Writer-director Jingyi Shao offers all the basics (I know the sport went wrong), including a forced workout and a wholesome romantic interest. But the director had more interesting things in mind in his debut, offering a darker and more complex story that ended up being quite effective.

At the beginning of the story, Chang (Bloom Lee, who debuted as a star, appears on the screen almost every minute) pretends to be a basketball fan whose hero is the late Kobe Bryant. He plays in the high school band with his best friend Bo (Ben Wang), where he quickly meets and falls in love with his newest member, Christy (Zoe Renee, charming).

She has a rival for Christy's affections: her former best friend Matt (Chase Leafield), the star of her school's basketball team. Their romantic rivalry soon heats up due to Chang's impulsive bet that he can strike before the Homecoming dance in just ten weeks. The stakes are high as Matt gives Chang an original Kobe Bryant t-shirt and a rare Pokémon card.

After coming up with several animal-themed nicknames (represented in a funny wildlife montage), Chang proclaims himself to be the "Red Panda". He also enlists the help of former NBA player-turned-store clerk Verizon DeAndre (Dexter Darden from The Maze Runner films) as his personal trainer, Mr. Miyagi. All of this activity comes under the radar of single mother Chang (Mardi Ma, amazing), a nurse who works long hours. Needless to say, since this is a film aimed at a younger audience, videos of Chang's grueling preparations are circulating the internet.

So far so familiar. But just as you thought the story was over, the film takes an unexpected turn, adding deeper layers and nuances. Suffice it to say that Chang Can Dunk is truly a "lost" story, even if it's not what you'd expect.

The director has shown great talent as a screenwriter and director, creating captivating dialogue, playing truthful and complex characters that defy simple stereotypes. The loving but complicated relationship between Chang and his supportive but beleaguered mother is excellent, as they often speak to each other in Mandarin (with subtitles) at their most heated moments. And it turns out that golden-haired Matt is not a cardboard bad guy, but a good guy who gets carried away from time to time.

Shao also adds some fun visual touches to the story, such as the "Chang Swag Meter" on-screen graphic that appears when he participates in a basketball game.

You have to watch the movie to see if Chang can really crush you. But whether it's possible or not, Chang Can Dunk conveys a valuable message that is sure to resonate with the target audience.