If
MTV’s Daria Morgendorffer had been adopted in Korea, she would probably express
many of the attitudes held by Asia Bradford. Yes, her parents named her Asia—clearly
without consulting her first. She is so tired of the whole model minority, find
a rich older white boyfriend thing. Nor has she any use for ethnic identity or
the Ktown scene. However, an unlikely friend of the family might help her
reconnect with her roots, or possibly poison her forever on all things Korean
in Kat Moon’s Yellow Fever (clip here), which screens as
part of the 2017 Hoboken International Film Festival (in New York).
Bradford
lives with her Asian-obsessed, compulsively inclusive white-bread parents Michael
and Li, along with her manga-addicted younger brother Taro in a tony Upper
Eastside townhouse. Believe me, they are doing well if they have the room to
put up her father’s prodigal best pal John Smart while he sells late mother’s
suburban Jersey house. For years, Smart lived in Korea, trying to recover from
a broken heart. It was Li Bradford who broke it.
Somehow,
Smart and Asia Bradford recognize each other as kindred brooding souls. When he
drags her to a real Korean restaurant she is stunned to discover she kind of
likes it. He even manages to interest her in the language too. However, various
jealousies and misunderstandings within the Bradford family will force Smart to
move out before his closing.
Strangely,
Moon shows a better handle on her WASPy characters than the abrasive Asia
Bradford. Being sardonic is all well and good, but Bradford can really be a
pill. On the other hand, Li and Michael are silly Upper Eastsiders, but in
acutely human ways. Frankly, the film picks up in the second half, as their
subplots expand.
In
fact, Nahanni Johnstone and Michael Lowry are so good as the Bradfords, we care
more about whether they will save their marriage than if Asia finally starts to
find herself. Still, nobody can deny Jenna Ushkowitz has a facility with snark.
As Asia, she also develops some effective chemistry with Scott Patterson’s
deadpan world-weary Smart.
