With no new season of Master of None on the horizon is Emmy award-winning co-creator Alan Yang has made his feature directorial debut with this incredibly frustrating autobiographical drama focusing on an aging man as he reflects on his life, what prompted his move to America and the strained relationships he has with those around him. Master of None proves that Yang is capable of great things and during the flashback sequences the film is directed with a clear and impressive visual eye. That said it feels like an undercooked mashup of Pain and Glory and The Farewell. It has got the same meditative and reflective tone as the former and the key theme of generational divides and respect for cultural heritage as the latter (stretches of the film are even in in Mandarin.) I spent most of the 95-minute run time thinking about those two films that both have clear autobiographical elements (especially Pain and Glory) but showcase similar themes in a much more effective way. Yang has clear directorial talent and likely has a great film within him but this definitively isn’t it.
5/10
A Little Bit Of Everything 