THE HALF OF IT

“Not every love story is a romance.” There are so many things I love about THE HALF OF IT (trailer here), the charming queer romcom directed by Alice Wu. In this refreshing take on CYRANO DE BERGERAC, a shy and studious Chinese-American girl (and possibly one of the only Asian kids in her small suburban town) is asked by a sweet and not-so-sophisticated classmate to help him write love letters for a beautiful popular girl. No problem—until she finds out that perhaps these love letters really do come from her heart. As a romcom, this coming-of-age story subverts many typical tropes, and focuses instead on love on all fronts—romance, sexuality questioning, friendship, family, and self-love. What I appreciate most about this coming-of-age film is the way it portrays the story of an immigrant girl without relying on an “other-ing” the narrative; yes, it is about a queer Asian-American girl, but it’s also a story about growth and self-discovery. Watch on Netflix! 

—Mimi Li, Development Assistant