‘Barrier Device’ Takes An Intriguing Inspection Into The Other Woman

 

Barrier Device film poster.

Audrey is an independent researcher conducting a study on the female condoms. Life could not be anymore complicated— that is until one of Audrey’s subjects adds an unexpected personal commonality. Serena just so happens to be sleeping with Jay, Audrey’s ex. 

Audrey (Sandra Oh) interviews a new candidate for her research study on female condoms. DP: Patti Lee.

Serena (Suzy Nakamuru) is selected. DP: Patti Lee.

Serena comes in for further conversation with Audrey, telling her that she is currently intimate with two men— Jay and Michael. DP: Patti Lee.

Serena is everything that Audrey is not— younger, vivacious, adventurous. Serena has an open outlook on the world around her. However, Serena also proudly wears Audrey’s grandmother’s necklace with every outfit no matter how much it doesn’t suit her clothes. Perhaps the necklace is not aligned with the wearer as well. The jewelry holds sentimental value to Audrey. In fact, prior to, Audrey calls Jay to find it for her. He is no help. Serena wields a certain power over Jay, a lying, facetious man who only wants Serena because she is not as sexually frigid as Audrey. For him to even ruthlessly give away an object precious to Audrey paints him in a cold, callous light despite his voice being the only thing the audience hears. Jay— although unseen— is a present force occupying space between Audrey, Serena, and Audrey’s grandmother’s necklace. As a result of his shallow, untrustworthy behavior, Audrey is able to put the heartbreaking pieces together. 

Audrey has called her ex about her grandmother’s necklace, but he swears having not seen it and hangs up. Later, Audrey sees it... DP: Patti Lee.

On Serena’s neck. DP: Patti Lee.

Multiple times. DP: Patti Lee.

Still, Audrey cannot resist this newer form of research. It is in her nature to be curious and test situations; seek results. Thus, Audrey begins invading Serena’s life casually, going down the rabbit hole of friendship, seemingly as a mere experiment. After all, the lonely, isolated Audrey lets work occupy her time. Essentially, Audrey’s getting to know Serena on a deeper, connective level appears similar to her work, analyzing and comparing notes— comparing herself to her ex’s new lover. While Audrey has trouble adjusting to the female condoms, Serena is quite adept at getting Jay to use them. 

Audrey reads through Serena’s sex journal. DP: Patti Lee.

Apparently, Serena and her man are quite active. DP: Patti Lee.

Serena shares her sex journal with Audrey. Naturally, Audrey assumes that this is with Serena’s other partner, Michael. It is a much easier exercise than imagining your ex having an excessive amount of physical enjoyment whereas Audrey has trouble getting a man to even fathom the idea of female condoms. One such partner asks, “can we just do it the normal way?” As though the very act of role reversal muddies the potential pleasure experience for both parties. When Serena admits her journal is all about Jay and that Jay enjoys using the female condoms, this puts more blow to Audrey’s already fragile self esteem. Not only is Serena sexually explorative (and even good at a few lies in the act), but she has gotten Jay actively involved, actively participating. The real kicker is that Serena supports Jay’s writing too— another intimate sector that breaks Audrey’s heart. Worse, Jay’s writing is influenced by their past relationship. Audrey, putting work above everything in her life including Jay who needed the ego boost that Serena could offer him. 

Audrey even goes to Serena’s house. There she finds her grandmother’s necklace among Serena’s jewelry. Serena enters and suggests that Audrey try it on. DP: Patti Lee.

However, Jay is not the winning side. Jay is no hero in this catastrophe. He cheated on Audrey with Serena and had the audacity to present Audrey’s grandmother’s necklace to Serena.

Serena cleans out Audrey’s ears and picks out Audrey’s gray hairs. DP: Patti Lee. 

Smartly written and directed by Grace Lee, Barrier Device, a near thirty minute short film riddled with lighthearted womanist connections, tense drama, and warm humor, is a worthwhile watch due to the remarkable chemistry between its leads Sandra Oh and Suzy Nakamuru. When the confrontation finally happens near the end, Oh and Nakamuru play Audrey and Serena’s emotional spirals with great believable ease. Audrey’s despair over Serena’s perfection and Serena’s agony over being misled by Audrey touches on the darker sides of women relationships— especially how jealousy can be a severe, jeopardizing poison. Yet after the hard truths are revealed and the grandmother’s necklace is returned to its rightful owner, Audrey and Serena reach a genuinely sweet understanding. 

Audrey unleashes her fury onto Serena who has barged into one of Audrey’s sessions. DP: Patti Lee.

Serena claims that Audrey has destroyed her life. DP: Patti Lee.

Audrey and Serena reach the climatic point to a rather complex relationship. DP: Patti Lee.

Although it would seem that Jay ironically brought Audrey and Serena together, perhaps their mutual togetherness comes too from the recognizable necklace too. Maybe it was Audrey’s grandmother encouraging Audrey and Serena to see how they had the ability to help each other— with the combined strength and resilience to move past Jay.  

‘Double Happiness,’ Always A Treat to Revisit

 

Double Happiness film poster. 

Although I have yet to watch Sandra Oh’s latest film release— the horror Umma helmed by Iris K. Shim— in honor of Women’s History Month, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to revisit another Asian director, Mina Shum, whom Oh has worked with several times in Canada. The humorous classic Double Happiness brings all kinds of joy to behold. 

Jade (Sandra Oh) jokingly reflects that the difference between her family and The Brady Bunch is that hers have subtitles. DP: Peter Wunstorf. 

Sandra Oh stars as aspiring actress Jade Li in a family of Chinese immigrant parents. Her younger sister Pearl looks up to her. They share a bedroom despite Jade being twenty-two-years old. The girls also have an older brother Winston, but his memory is locked up in a secret box beneath the bed. Apparently, he has been disowned (mostly by their stern, family values protective father) and this symbolism will remain in affect throughout due to Jade’s rebellious spirit. Much like her absent brother, Jade has the desire to break tradition. 

Jade (Sandra Oh) and Pearl’s (Frances You) relationship is an adorable illustration of sisterhood. They protect each other, dance, eat, and everything in between. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Toronto, Jade is the product of her surroundings, primarily the television and wanting to be on it. Jade is naturally gifted at mimicking everything that she sees and hears— Southern accents and all. Yet in two very specific instances, Jade is confronted by an uncomfortable reality of living in an awkward duality. She must decide between portraying the terribly offensive stereotypical accent or truly understanding what being outside of China has done to her. Jade may be able to speak the Cantonese her parent have taught her, but when it comes to reading the very language itself, it makes her question herself as a Chinese woman. The questions raised to her are valid, deeply personal and will affect her throughout the film. What does being of Chinese descent illustrate to the next generation being raised in a place far removed and situated in another culture? 

Jade (Sandra Oh) and Lisa (Claudette Carracedo) share hopes for the future. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

When Jade’s best friend Lisa asks what her dream is, Jade softly responds that she wants to win the Academy Award for a big part. This is such a sad, bittersweet statement in a twenty-eight year old film where limited stride has been made in an institution that favors white actresses above all others. Last year, Youn Yuh-Jung won Best Supporting Actress for her role as the grandmother in Minari and the previous win in that category was Sayonara’s Miyoshi Umeki in 1957– sixty-four years prior. Truly great Asian actresses from Michelle Yeoh to Maggie Leung and Ziyi Zhang and more have been glaringly overlooked. Thus, Jade’s future hopes are not only incredibly impossible odds— they are proof of the blatant unfairness and racism in Hollywood film awards. Jade is already struggling to find casting directors that appreciate her multifaceted techniques. With the doors continuing to close on her, how could Jade even begin to break out of achieving one slice of her desire? 

Even though her parents not completely invested in Jade’s career choice, Mom (Alannah Ong) doesn’t mind if she takes a more respectable journalism gig. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

Meanwhile, Jade’s parents and friends continue setting her up with different Asian men in hopes of marrying her off. This dated customary setup doesn’t suit the current landscape. Jade has far too many unconventional ideas, is too focused on independence than subjecting herself to fitting in with the old ways. In Toronto, she feels encouraged to follow another path that does not include the ideal mate, but a preferred partner of her own choosing. 

The sisters must hide their photo with Winston... 

Under the bed. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

A very important factor into Jade’s story is Winston continuously being brought up. People would ask how their son is doing. The mother makes up stories, but the father speaks nothing of him. Winston’s blacklisting from the family— his disownment— is primarily the father’s doing. Jade’s sheer independence starts bothering her father, especially the acting and the “talking back.” Jade is supposed to be respectful, demure, obedient, and quiet. Whenever her father becomes angry or disappointed in her, Jade brings him red bean buns and tea as a forgiveness branch. She also becomes mother hen-ly— massaging his back and combing his hair, seeming more wifely than daughterly. Beneath trying to appease her father, Jade aches to be her true authentic self without his constant backlash.  

Jade imagines herself a Southern belle. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

Unfortunately, casting agents see one opportunity for women like Jade. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

So while the older generation continues speaking in their native Cantonese tongue, Jade, Lisa, and Pearl exemplify the turning tide. They understand the language and respond back in English. 

When Dad introduces his daughters to Uncle Hong, they must recite a greeting in perfect Cantonese. 

Uncle Hong (Donald Fong) making dumplings from scratch with his sister-in-law. 

Double Happiness also shows a huge relationship between food and community. Jade’s family and their friends gather around the table—a constant sturdy structure— eating hefty portions with their chopsticks, having conversations, or making homemade dumplings. It almost has that family restaurant quality, seeing that the mother prepares everything because it is expected of her as the daughters set the table. 

In the standard white dress and classic pearls once more, Jade realizes that the life of her traditional parents is not the life for her. DP: Peter Wunstorf.

A solid prize winner at the Toronto International Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival,  writer/director Mina Shum’s charming, delightful screenplay is chalk-full of humor, wisdom, and defiance. In a role fresh after the candid biopic The Diary of Evelyn Lau, an utterly brilliant Sandra Oh breathes life into the free-spirited Jade. Oh was deserving of her awards— the Genie Award for Best Actress (the former Canadian equivalent of the Oscars) and a special mention from the Torino International Festival of Young Cinema. 

Red bean buns will not always have sway for Jade’s dad (Stephan Chang). DP: Peter Wunstorf.

Currently streaming on Prime Video, Double Happiness will have anyone laughing, resonating with a woman’s modern-day independence, and coming back stronger in the face of abject rejection/racism. 

Happy Birthday, Sandra Oh: Fem Film Rogue Icon Spotlight

On this day, fun and edgy Sandra Oh, newly cemented American, was born.

Although a star of the underrated HBO series Arli$$, Sandra Oh's screen presence took off in a memorable co-starring turn as Dr. Cristana Yang in Shonda Rhimes hit show, Grey's Anatomy. Oh's sharp, sarcastic Yang had a heart of gold beneath a seemingly icy exterior that few could crack. Later, the gorgeous, multi-talented actress would star in films like the Oscar winning Sideways, Tammy, and Catfight. She has also lent her voice to The Proud Family, Robot Chicken, American Dragon: Jake Long, and She-Ra Princess of Power.

Oh is an actor's actor with a deep appreciation for theatre. Maybe Broadway and a Tony will be calling her name too.

Oh's first starring film was the Canadian feature The Diary of Evelyn Lau, a dark drama based on real-life Canadian poet/novelist, Evelyn Lau. This film essentially broadcasts Oh as a phenomenal actress, her performance layered in tremendous depth and authenticity leading a heartbreaking-turned-triumphant story. Also, Lau, whose birthday was July 2, and Oh are both Cancers born in the same year.

Grey's Anatomy put Oh on the map. She won her first Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (second Asian actress after Yoko for Shogun to win this honor), a SAG (both singular and as part of the ensemble cast), a People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Character We Miss The Most, and was nominated for five consecutive Emmys and four Image Awards.

Sandra Oh sleek white business suit in Time 100.

In other women directed film and television, Oh shines bright. Beyond the exception of Rhimes, brilliant writer/director Mina Shum, also an Asian-Canadian, has had Oh star in several prominent films centering Asian identity in Canada-- Double Happiness, Long Life, Prosperity, and Happiness, and Meditation Park. She was also in the late Audrey Wells' Guinevere and Under the Tuscan Sun. In the latter, Oh plays the pregnant girlfriend to Kate Walsh's character (Walsh was on Grey's Anatomy before receiving her own spin-off series, Private Practice). Oh, however, has taken major notice, starring as the titular Eve in the juicy cat and mouse thriller, Killing Eve helmed by the amazing Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Since then Oh has been listed on the Time 100 list and picked up a second Golden Globe (the first Asian descent actor/actress to score two, let alone host the awards show), another SAG Award, a Critics Choice Award, and a second Emmy nomination. In fact, she has received two Emmy nods for both Killing Eve and guest hosting Saturday Night Live (here's hoping she wins one or both).

As for Oh's Emmy nominated Saturday Night Live guest hosting, she was absolutely terrific-- putting forth humorous performance after performance that murders ugly Asian stereotypes, on this ill-perceived notion that Asian actors are incapable of expressing emotion (completely false). Yes, Cristina Yang and Eve have moments of hilarity, but seeing Oh be plain funny in various sketches, become many characters in an hour was a bonafide treat. The woman is talented and deserves quality roles worthy of her impressive dexterity.

Sandra Oh happily receiving her second Golden Globe.

Up next, Oh's second season of Killing Eve just ended. She will be lending her voice for the animated superhero series Invincible (which co-stars the awesome Steven Yeun).

Still hoping for that Sandra Oh and Lucy Liu (the first Asian descent actress to host Saturday Night Live) buddy film someday. They both starred in 3 Needles, but shared no scenes together. 

"It's an honor just to be Asian," -- Sandra Oh with her parents and others.

Best Sandra Oh quotes:

"I grew up never seeing myself on screen. It's really important for me to give people who look like me a chance to see themselves. I want to see myself as a hero to any story. I want to see myself save the world from a bomb."

"I think the roles in television are better for women right now. At this point, I don't want to continue doing the same things I've been doing in film because it's very limited."

"Hollywood likes to put actors in boxes, and likes to put Asian actors in really small boxes."

"I did not start acting until I was 10. I started dancing when I was four, though. My parents were not the ones who brought me to acting. I brought myself, and when I found it, I could never go back. I was very fortunate because although I loved dance [ballet] with all my heart, I knew I was not good enough to be a professional dancer. I knew I loved performing. Still, nothing beats being on stage for me; I prefer the stage."

"First of all in Canada, someone like me can be a star, a leading lady. In the U.S., much more difficult. They always want to keep you in the supporting roles. It is also debatable if there is even a star system in Canada, or an indigenous film industry. Canada is still at the mercy of the U.S. film industry. In Canada, it is very difficult to make a living as an actor...In the U.S., there is more drive towards a certain kind of broad reaching success, and with that comes much more stress and sacrifice. In Canada, even if you are very successful, you can lead a very normal and healthy life. Maybe not much glamour or wealth or world reaching success, but quite normal."

I grew up never seeing myself on-screen, and it's really important to me to give people who look like me a chance to see themselves. I want to see myself as the hero of any story. I want to see myself save the world from the bomb.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/sandra_oh

I grew up never seeing myself on-screen, and it's really important to me to give people who look like me a chance to see themselves. I want to see myself as the hero of any story. I want to see myself save the world from the bomb.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/sandra_oh

'The Diary of Evelyn Lau,' A Raw Exposé On Teen Prostitution, Drugs, And Poetry

Sun TV Magazine spot for The Diary of Evelyn Lau.

The Diary of Evelyn Lau penetrates deeply into grisly horrors young women undergo in this tragic, patriarchal world. Beneath the surface is a talented girl who deserves to share her voice and not her body.

Evelyn Lau, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, has it rough. She is a young writer bursting with talent, but her strict parents place abnormal obligations on her. In the opening scene, her mother takes Evelyn to the bathroom and places her on the scale, immediately slapping her and calling her "fat." Evelyn's father neglects her during this critical moment, demonstrating his partake in her daily abuse, his silence consenting to his wife's toxic verbal, physical, and psychological harassment. 

Evelyn (Sandra Oh) turns to the wrong people for help.

A life on the streets seems the best escape for fourteen-year-old Evelyn. She naively believes that staying with an older man could be safe, but he rapes her in a disturbing scene and blames her for "tempting him." She succumbs to his other advances, not out of desire or affection, but out of safety and comfort-- lacking at home. Except, they want to discard her immediately when the cops arrive. The social services soon have her in custody and they rule in her parents' favor-- for her to return back home. Evelyn has a major breakdown and is immediately drugged and placed in a facility-- a grave mistake considering no one cares about the extent of how damaged she is.

Eventually, two worlds seduce the teen into different directions-- the shotty group homes with too many rigid rules and the streets with its grimy men looking for prostitutes. She tries with both, falling fast for the latter, introduced to drinking and further sexual deprivatity. Through it all, however, she continues writing, her language evolving and maturing as fast as the destructive tornado of homelessness, drugs, and sex combined. She recites to these johns, these immoral older white men, like the most well-trained poetess, her oratory delivery quite concise and articulate, her words sharper than sword blades. They listen, feigning interest, only seeing her body as an instrument to desire. She uses them as they used her-- a machine, their ears.

Sandra Oh on playing Evelyn.

It is no surprise that Sandra Oh beat out 2,000 actresses in her first on-camera role. She is downright riveting as the real-life poet, Evelyn Lau. Although Oh is a twenty-something playing a teenager, she vividly expresses child innocence and its thievery swept in the dangerous undercurrent of the street life. Her depth is remarkable. She conveys-- especially through devoid and lifeless eyes--how desperate decisions can take away pieces of the self that can perhaps never be regained. Oh's natural evolution from a shy, awkward girl with giant glasses and overlong bangs to a drug addicted femme showcases her gifted tenacity early on. Oh was nominated for a Gemini and won a Golden FIPA for Best Actress.

Director Sturla Gunnarsson adapted Evelyn Lau's book with Barry Stevens. It is a dark, bitter film to endure. Certain scenes fuel hatred for male behaviors. These people could have looked out for her, having known her age, but instead took advantage. After overcoming inappropriate lust, gross fetishising, and harmful self-hatred, a poet breaks free and finds her voice. It is a true testament of courage that Lau has survived a disgustingly foul place. Poetry saved her life like no one else could.

Real life Evelyn Lau is an award-winning poet, writer, and college professor, Lau was the third Poet Laureate of Vancouver.

The Diary of Evelyn Lau's poignant ending suggests that though one can be awarded and well-received, some people (even in high circles) can still see a woman to objectify.