'Shortcomings' Review: Well-Written Witty Commentary | Sundance 2023

Randall Park’s directorial debut is a smart character study with worthwhile messages.

Justin H. Min & Sherry Cola in Shortcomings. Courtesy of Sundance.

Shortcomings /ˈSHôrtˌkəmiNGz/ — a fault or failure to meet a certain standard, typically in a person's character, a plan, or a system. This is the defining principle of Randall Park’s directorial debut, and it elevates the film’s essentially simple concept to a memorable reflection on our own character and lives. The film follows Ben (Justin H. Min), an aspiring filmmaker who manages a small movie theater in Berkeley. We follow Ben as he navigates relationships and work and is forced to address his own shortcomings and how they affect his life — and the lives of others. We’re introduced to the majority of the supporting cast early on, including Ben’s girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki), his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), and his co-worker Autumn (Tavi Gevinson).

Justin H. Min & Randall Park on set of Shortcomings. Courtesy of Topic Studios.

The screenplay, written by Adrian Tomine and based on his own graphic novel, is intelligent and wisely addresses clichés and tropes while avoiding falling victim to them. The script juggles different characters and personalities while making them multi-dimensional characters that feel real. The place in which the film has the largest chance to stumble and repel viewers is in its protagonist, who, by classic ideals, is unlikeable. While certain viewers will find this as a reason to avoid the film, it ultimately allows for a better character-driven narrative and aids the avoidance of comedic and rom-com clichés. The unlikability of Ben is something we learn within the opening minutes and are consistently reminded of as the film progresses, ultimately leading to a better study of him and his evolution as a person. The script also heavily addresses gender and race politics found in and out of varying relationships well and does so while maintaining inclusivity and levity.

As you’d expect in a film directed by Randall Park, the film is comedic throughout, with many jokes landing well and a few scenes garnering legitimate LOL moments. One of the main reasons for this is Sherry Cola’s fantastic comedic timing, nailing the rhythms and paces of comedy in the film. The film also uses the plot point of Ben’s “type” — blonde white girls — to its comedic advantage, with Tavi Gevinson and Debby Ryan stepping up to the challenge, with the latter adding well-written commentary on relationships, specifically the end of them. There are a few jokes that get brought up later in the film, adding depth to their purpose and the characters themselves.

What makes Shortcomings great is that even though the characters can be rude, brash, and even assholes at times, they’re well layered and given depth to the point where they’re real enough to like by the time the credits roll. Justin H. Min does a fantastic job of being lovably unlikeable and helps move this breezy film to the finish line, speaking volumes by the end.