I’ll be honest, when I looked at this weekend’s slate of film releases, Chang Can Dunk was not on the top of my list for films I was excited to see. I wasn’t expecting much from the company that made other original films like Luck of the Irish and Lemonade Mouth. I was fully prepared to write this one off as just another generic Disney entry and be done with it. Which is why I was actually really surprised that this film delivered so much more than that, and proved to me that Disney may have what it takes to make quality original films.
Chang Can Dunk follows the titular Chang played fantastically by Bloom Li, a high school boy obsessed with basketball. Chang makes a bet with Matt, the popular, athletic basketball player, that by the time the homecoming celebration comes around, he will be able to dunk. He begins his training with the help of former basketball star turned Verizon phone salesman Deandre, his best friend Bo, and his lady friend who just moved to town Kristy. By halfway through the film, to no surprise of anyone, Chang dunks, but not all is as it seems.
When the films starts, it feels like what you would expect in another generic Disney film. In fact, I had debated even writing a review for the film as I was watching. We saw moments of pure Disney cringe, and some insane cliche stereotypes that helped drive the plot forward, including but not limited to multiple characters having absent/deceased fathers, which is supposed to add drama and depth to the characters that really wasn’t necessary. We do get a fun opening scene simulating a vintage basketball training video, which as a basketball fan reminded me of seeing the videos of Hall of Fame Celtics coach Red Auerbach doing drills with Larry Bird and Pete Maravich.
Once we get past the cringy high school drama that kicks off the film, Director and writer Jingyi Shao definitely settled in to tell a much more compelling story. The training montages that go down are made interesting with the twist that everything is being filmed for social media, making Chang not only working hard to get better, but also providing national attention to his goals. Deandre, played by Dexter Darden and known for playing Frypan in The Maze Runner, ends up being a fantastic role model and mentor to Chang. And, an hour into the film, we get the titular moment. Chang dunks, wins the bet and all seems good. But at this point there is still almost an hour left, and this is where the film truly shines.
Where Chang Can Dunk stands out the most is Chang’s relationship with his mother. They have a very interesting relationship and director Shao really dives into the Asian-American influences that help shape those kinds of relationships. Chang and his mother Chen, played by Mardy Ma, have excellent chemistry. I loved how the film weaved in and out of these characters speaking English and their native language to each other, much like what happens in typical immigrant households. Beyond that though, the film really focuses in on the pressure that a divorce can cause a family, and Chang’s personal relationship with his mother is certainly affected by his parents splitting up. As does Chen’s expectations for her son. As Chang says in the film, he feels he cannot tell his mother things he is interested in for fear of being judged and ridiculed for making “bad choices”. It was an excellently written and performed plot point that drove the story forward in a meaningful way.
I was also highly impressed with the direction that Chang was taken in the film. At its core, Chang Can Dunk is about life for kids in high school. While there were some moments that were totally overdone, such as Matt talking directly to Kristy in the crowd while he is playing a basketball game (something that absolutely would not happen), the bulk of the film dealt with real issues kids face. Anxiety, depression and a fear of being judged and emotionally abused by other kids are real issues that I am glad this film touched on. It’s easy to paint high school as a magical time of carefree experiences and great memories, but for some kids, they change everything about who they are just to fit in, and they end up facing identity crises because of it. I was impressed that Chang Can Dunk made these issues come to the forefront of its storytelling.
Final Thoughts
Chang Can Dunk could have easily taken the easy road. They could have made a film that concludes in the titular dunk and happy ending, called it a day, and cashed in on another Disney original film. But they didn’t. Instead, first time director Jingyi Shao decided to tell a much deeper story about family, friends and the emotional challenges that people in high school face on a daily basis. I am not too far removed from being in high school, and I remember feeling a lot of the things that Chang does. It resonates well with it’s intended audience and really connects on a much deeper level than it should. If you have the chance, watch Chang Can Dunk and see for yourself.
