It Was Validating To Watch The Dad In Netflix’s Tigertail

He reacted just as helpless as my dad…

Photo by Marc Hastenteufel on Unsplash

Tigertail is a 2020 American drama film written and directed by Alan Yang

Here are my two cents about the film.

What were your initial thoughts of the film and first reaction(s) to the trailer?

I was intrigued to see how the filmmakers will capture a story shared by so many Asians across the globe. The scene where the little boy is running in the rice paddies caught my attention. Then when it jumped forward in time, showing the boy grown up, dancing with a lady, I knew the film would take me on a journey.

What attempt does writer/director Alan Yang get “right” in this film that other filmmakers haven’t been able to do for mainstream audiences before?

It has to be the lunch scene with Pin-Jui and his daughter, Angela. He finishes eating and throws the napkin on his plate, waiting for her to finish.

That hit home because I’ve experienced that with my dad a bunch of times. He eats quickly, in silence, as though my presence is unnecessary…