Ms. Purple

Estranged siblings reunite as their father lies dying in actor Justin Chon’s third directorial outing, a hard-hitting but only intermittently satisfying drama that succeeds in spurts rather than as a whole. After an opening flashback in which proud Young-Il (James Kang) dresses his young son and daughter for a visit to the mother who has abandoned the family, the film jumps to the present, where Young-Il is unresponsive in his bed, cared for by the now-grown Kasie (Tiffany Chu), who resists advice to put him into a hospice. She works at a sleazy karaoke bar to make ends meet, catering to the whims of the drunken clientele, including a well-heeled businessman who enjoys having her on his arm at opulent parties. When her nurse quits and the situation becomes desperate, Kasie calls on her dissolute brother Carey (Teddy Lee) to return home and help, and to her surprise, he agrees. The slacker proves an unreliable caregiver, but as they share the duties brother and sister reconnect. Eventually, however, Kasie recognizes that the status quo—at both home and work—cannot be sustained. Ms. Purple is weak on narrative, being more concerned with moods and impressions than plot, and the characters’ motivations are suggested rather than clearly defined. Despite that, it is stylishly made, even if in the end it emerges as sporadically incisive rather than consistently compelling.  A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)