MQFF NOTES: Spa Night (2015, Dir. Andrew Ahn)

David (Joe Seo) is a young Korean American coming to terms with his sexuality while working on down-low at a sauna frequented by other Korean Americans and Latinos on the down-low, if you get my drift.

Andrew Ahn’s second-gen immigrant drama takes a while to get to its point (by way some wistful toe-dipping into college life with the son of a family friend). When it gets around to saying what it wants to say it is a rather flaccid experience. Seo puts in a watchable performance but there’s only so much connection that can be made with a character so shyly closeted.

In the languid space between scenes of David’s parents arguing over their financial woes, David attempting to navigate his SATs and David mopping sauna floors, the mind wanders to contemplating how a bath house owner can not know gay shit’s going down in his establishment when the only thing the place appears to be missing is Bette Midler crooning in the corner.

Perplexingly slight.

★★

Trailer:

Spa Night screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2017. 

You can check out other films from the festival here.