East Bay

Is success the most important thing, even if it’s phony? East Bay, a “feel-bad comedy” from Daniel Yoon—who wrote, directed, edited, produced and stars—explores what that means to Bay Area singles hamstrung by their expectations. Yoon plays Jack, a Korean-American failed filmmaker tackling a documentary on the meaning of life. Sarah (Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians) programs an Asian-American film fest and struggles with her feelings for Jack, who has his own romantic problems: a white girlfriend pregnant by someone else and a crazy South Asian self-help guru who takes him for a ride. His solace is hockey, played with roommates facing up to their own limitations. Told with searing honesty, East Bay slyly and hilariously skewers the notion that everyone is special. Approaching middle-age teaches these characters otherwise, yet never loses sight of the beauty, tragedy, and absurdity of an ordinary life.