Gook Movie Review By: Ethan Trinh

I loved how it was all based upon two Korean American brothers, Eli (Justin Chon) & Daniel (David So) surviving the Rodney King riots... while working at their late father’s shoe store. It was perfection of the plot, cast, acting, but storyline could’ve have been told more precisely as it was a bit confusing in some parts. Overall, I can’t wait for more films directed by Justin Chon! 

The brother relationship between the two main characters were powerful, I loved it! This showed a lot to present day, times like now. Where African Americans are being killed from a different race for no reason, wildfires, and just basic discrimination. It's crazy how this work of art of a film depicts what happens nowadays. This is by far one of my favorite Asian American movies out there, "Gook" is the main reason why I started to dive more into Asian American cultured flicks. I'm Vietnamese, American -- so there isn't much of my peoples in Hollywood being in movies or tv shows or having big major roles in Netflix Originals. I admire Justin Chon for doing what he's doing, making the Asian American folks proud for this work. This is actually his first huge film he directed, written, well... he wrote and directed a movie before "Gook". It was called "Man Up" starring Kevin Wu and himself. But, I liked the 90's look for Los Angeles, California and how the story was told from Eli and Daniel while having an unlikely bond with a neighborhood 11 year old African American girl. Keep in mind, this story is told the first day of 1992 riots, it's insane. Cinematography is beautiful, loved it. The music couldn't be any better, I enjoyed it so much. Man, the acting-- that was outstanding from Chon and David So. I discovered this back in 2018 and I still love watching this movie. I feel like this is one for the books like, it's a story and a movie you could relate to or think you could be in a situation like in this 2017 movie. 

Rating: 9.7/10

Rating: 9/10