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Gook

Play trailer 1:58 Poster for Gook Released Aug 18, 2017 1h 35m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers who own a struggling women's shoe store, have an unlikely friendship with 11-year-old Kamilla. On the first day of the 1992 L.A. riots, the trio must defend the store while contemplating the meaning of family and thinking about personal dreams and the future.
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Gook

Gook

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Critics Consensus

From its confrontational title to its striking cinematography, this raw cinematic gem uncompromisingly proves writer/director/actor Justin Chon is a filmmaker to watch.

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Critics Reviews

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Simran Hans Observer (UK) In rooftop conversations, an impressionistic dance sequence that takes place in a parking lot and a devastating conclusion that teeters on the edge of melodrama, Chon finds a tone all of his own. Rated: 4/5 Mar 18, 2018 Full Review Ed Potton Times (UK) It's witty, stylish and ultimately devastating. Rated: 4/5 Mar 16, 2018 Full Review Naomi Wong Little White Lies A progressive, refreshing take on the unseen stories of the LA riots. Rated: 4/5 Mar 16, 2018 Full Review Phil Guie Film-Forward.com Anyone paying attention to the news knows we still have much work to do before we can all truly get along, and that makes Gook essential viewing. Rated: 5/5 Mar 21, 2019 Full Review Naila Scargill Trebuchet Despite an underlying harshness, the film is often light, its playful moments easing the strain of its everyday racism. Feb 28, 2019 Full Review Filipe Freitas Always Good Movies Fabricated with both feel-good and unsettling moments. Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 1, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dmitri V Such a great and impactful movie, there were super funny moments, and very serious moments, all the actors did so good, and David So was so good! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/21/23 Full Review Dominique W Exceptional race drama inspired by and definitely superior to American History X. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review harsh c I don't know why but I found all of the characters lacked authenticity, except the older store owner. Very hard to sympathise with such self-destructive behaviour. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Wow, where to begin here. For a movie about race, it seems white supremacy doesn't even exist. It looks at the most surface level interactions between black people and koreans in LA during the 92 Rodney King riots, but black people/rioters are made out to be the main antagonists. Maybe that's meant to add "depth" but the way it's portrayed in the film is as tone deaf as the film is colorblind. It also borrows heavily from Spike Lee's language, but only in a superficial way, with hardly any of the charm and vivacity that comes across so clearly in Lee's Do the Right Thing. Nothing in this film really seemed organic. The writer, director and lead actor, Justin Chon, wrote with a very heavy hand, with any hints of subtlety ruined by the obviousness of the plot. It's heavily emotional, but with no analysis of race. I finished it but just barely. Very amateurish attempt, pass on this one Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member an intelligent film these guys will probably never work again knowing sad state of Hollywood Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Horrible movie that should have went with color. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Gook

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers who own a struggling women's shoe store, have an unlikely friendship with 11-year-old Kamilla. On the first day of the 1992 L.A. riots, the trio must defend the store while contemplating the meaning of family and thinking about personal dreams and the future.
Director
Justin Chon
Producer
Alex Chi
Screenwriter
Justin Chon
Distributor
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co
Birthday Soup Films, Datari Turner Productions
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 18, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$222.2K
Runtime
1h 35m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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