‘Left-Handed Girl’ Review: Sean Baker Collaborator Shih-Ching Tsou’s Solo Debut Pulses Like Taipei After Dark

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In “Left-Handed Girl“, director Shih-Ching Tsou introduces us to Taipei with a vibrant mix of light and skyscrapers viewed through a kaleidoscope-like toy, hinting at the intricate structure that unfolds in the movie. The characters and their situations will shift and intertwine, forming various symmetries as multiple generations of women from the same Taiwanese family navigate through a few challenging months. This film offers an insightful depiction of complex motherhood and strained daughterhood, but it truly captivates with its ever-changing kaleidoscope perspective on Tsou’s hometown, where Taipei serves as the shimmering backdrop and the characters are like bouncing beads amidst the glitz.

Following an extended hiatus spanning numerous years, Janet Tsai (formerly known as Shu-Fen) is relocating to the city along with her two daughters: the college-aged I-Ann (previously Shih-Yuan Ma), who appears sullen, and the energetic, inquisitive I-Jing (Nina Ye), a young girl. I-Jing is captivated by their new dwelling, particularly enamored with the bustling, vibrant night market that transforms into her playground as Janet sets up a noodle stand within one of its vacant kiosks. I-Ann seems preoccupied with her phone and voices dissatisfaction about their new apartment, commenting it’s “much smaller than the picture.

The story unfolds quickly, as Shu-Fen, constantly struggling financially due to her ex-husband’s funeral expenses, finds herself pursued by a kind but dim-witted neighbor who manages the nearby trinket store. Displaying indifference towards the noodle shop’s prospects, I-Ann seeks employment as a “betel nut beauty” – a unique Taiwanese role where attractive women dress provocatively to sell the mild stimulant from brightly lit stalls across the city. She eventually develops a romantic entanglement with her boss, while I-Jing roams the seedy underbelly of the night market and takes in a meerkat as a pet.

Beyond just the immediate family circle, there’s more trouble brewing: Shu-Fen’s arrogant, critical mother is involved in illicit activities like smuggling and trafficking, while her husband cruelly tells their daughter I-Jing that being left-handed is a curse. He believes the left hand to be belonging to the devil. In a profound reflection on how an adult’s words can sometimes have a profound impact on a child, I-Jing accepts this old superstition without question and starts stealing flashy trinkets from nearby market stalls, always using her supposedly ‘evil’ left hand.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I must admit that “The Wedding Banquet” by Ang Lee skillfully navigates multiple storylines with such finesse that each thread maintains its captivating momentum. The director, Tsou, expertly transitions between diverse perspectives like a juggler in full control, demonstrating an empathetic understanding of his characters (save for the somewhat unyielding portrayal of the grandmother). However, towards the end, a scene that felt slightly implausible unfolded, becoming slightly over-the-top and soap opera-esque. This climactic moment saw a heated confrontation under the influence, a pregnancy scare, and undercurrents of Taiwanese misogyny all erupting in a series of emotionally charged outbursts at a grand celebration – a spectacle that was as socially awkward as it was dramatic.

Despite some stumbles in the narrative, the movie maintains a steady rhythm thanks to its stunning iPhone cinematography by Ko-Chin Chen and Tzu-Hao Kao. The camera’s wide-angle lens seems to grow larger and larger, as if trying to swallow the breathtaking cityscapes under neon lights in bigger and bigger bites. This bustling metropolis of grime and dreams tells a story all on its own, and at times, just moving a scooter through the streets of Taipei against a dark sky feels like the most cinematic experience possible. Tsou, who often collaborates with Sean Baker (he handles co-writing, producing, and editing in this film), showed the world what could be done with iPhone cameras in “Tangerine,” and the visual beauty of “Left-Handed Girl” showcases just how far that technology has advanced.

Tsou had previously collaborated with Baker on “Take Out,” a film about an undocumented Chinese immigrant rushing to settle a debt. While this may hint at a shared connection with the female characters in “Left-Handed Girl,” the Baker/Tsou project that shares the most spiritual affinity with this movie is “The Florida Project.” This is especially true due to the familiar editing patterns reminiscent of Baker, as seen in some scenes shot from I-Jing’s perspective.

In a swift transition, the young girl swiftly dashes through the bustling market to return to the noodle shop, as rhythmic music echoes, filled with both fear and thrill from her secret pastime. This scene is a perfect demonstration of immersion in sensory experiences, as the rapid editing mirrors the pulse-pounding feelings of a novice thief coursing through her veins. Alongside the exhilarating scooter sequences and tantalizing glimpses of Taipei’s vibrant street life, it embodies the charm that makes this heartwarming film so memorable. Occasionally, for a brief, poignant instant, the chaotic, colorful visual becomes a single, tender reminder of the initial love she holds for the place she first called home.

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2025-05-15 18:48