Chang Can Dunk showcases what it can be like for teenagers that just want to be cool, and just how far they are willing to go to get there.
Chang Can Dunk is unafraid to show both sides of what being a teenager looks like. On the one hand, Chang is inspirational because of his hard work and dedication, but on the other, he is overwhelmed by the need to be cool. Everyone who has been to High School can understand exactly what he is going through.
This movie does a great job of focusing on what it is like to be a teenager in real life, while also delivering on a fun and entertaining story that is only sort of about basketball. So if you aren’t into sports, have no fear, there is a whole lot more to love about this story.
Chang Can Dunk tells the story of a 16 year old boy named Chang (Bloom Li) who wants to learn to dunk a basketball. The reasons behind it aren’t commendable like personal growth, but rather because he wants to impress the new girl (Kristy, played by Zoe Renee), show up the most popular kid in school, and be cool for once. Exactly why you would suspect a teenage boy would want to do, well, just about anything.
He makes a bet that he will be able to dunk by homecoming with the top basketball player in High School, finds himself a coach (Deandre played by Dexter Darden), and puts his mind to it. Things play out probably exactly how you would expect them to, but that doesn’t mean the journey isn’t an entertaining one.
The movie starts off making it nearly impossible for you to dislike Chang. He and his best friend Bo (played by Ben Wang) are dorky band kids that like Pokémon. However, Chang doesn’t seem to be ok with that. He promises himself that he will become Chang 2.0 at school this year and finally climb the social ladder. These two have such great chemistry and really bring a positive friendship to the screen — at least at first.
We don’t want to dive too much into spoilers, but there are some things that did not sit well with me about this movie. Being a parent, I don’t love all of the things that Chang does in this movie. He pushes his friends aside and sacrifices his honesty and loyalty just for a shot at being looked up to by his peers. It is hard to go fully into details without revealing spoilers, but it seems like while he does suffer some consequences of his actions, he is ultimately forgiven a bit too easily.
That said, this is surely to keep the pace moving and the film locked in at a shorter runtime, so we will let it slide. Especially because it doesn’t shy away from the darker side of High School and being a teenager. The story feels real and raw, and we applaud it for that.
Chang Can Dunk feels relatable because it showcases High School in a way that isn’t always shown on screen. It isn’t all depressing and dark though, don’t worry, there is a whole lot of humor as well. Chang’s coach films their lessons for his YouTube channel and the way that these videos are worked into the movie is both brilliant and entertaining. They are a lot of fun, especially when it comes to the visual effects. It really does feel like a video made for social media.
Probably the biggest issue with the movie, besides Chang’s actions, is just how predictable it is. Again, we really don’t want to get into spoilers but when the bet is coming to an end and it is just about halfway through (which is a testament to the great pacing, by the way) it is clear that there is a whole lot more to come.
You don’t have to love sports to enjoy this one, because even though there is a lot of basketball in it, it’s so much more than that. It teaches lessons about embracing who you are and not trying to strive to be someone you are not. There are a lot more important things in life than being cool, and if you focus too much on that, you just might lose the relationships that you have with people that truly care about you.
Chang Can Dunk spends the right amount of time being inspirational, especially as Chang is practicing to learn how to dunk, but doesn’t rely too much on that aspect of the movie. This is especially because that all goes out the window about halfway through the film.
It goes so far as to get a bit dark at times. The movie doesn’t waste any time, clocking in at a quick 1 hour and 47 minutes (including credits) and while it is mostly predictable, it manages to throw a curveball or two at the audience.
Chang Can Dunk is streaming now on Disney+.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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About Chang Can Dunk
“Chang Can Dunk” follows Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American high school student in the marching band, who bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads the 5’ 8″ Chang on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk in order to impress his crush, Kristy, and finally gain the attention and respect of his high school peers.
But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he’ll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.
