Waiting for the Light to Change

The impressive debut film “Waiting for the Light to Change” by director-cowriter Linh Tran is a minimalist youth drama set in a Michigan lake house during winter. The film creates a captivating lakefront atmosphere with its controlled and at times minimalist directorial style. The cast approaches the material with disarming naturalism, adding depth to the story.

Tran skillfully distributes her attention among the five characters, giving each of them equal importance. While there isn’t a clear lead, Amy (Jin Park) stands out as a character who recently underwent a dramatic weight loss. Despite this achievement, she feels uncomfortable with the attention and compliments she receives, possibly due to her perceived failures in other aspects of life. Graduating from grad school but still struggling to find a job, Amy feels like a failure at the age of 25.

Amy’s longtime friend Kim (Joyce Ha), who appears to be a big success in life, brings along her boyfriend Jay (Sam Straley). The three have known each other since high school, and there is an underlying spark between Amy and Jay that could potentially ignite if they are not careful. Tension and unhappiness also exist between Kim and Jay, as is the case with all the characters who hide their true stories. The group is completed by Amy’s cousin Lin (Qun Chi), an exchange student from the old country, and another friend named Alex (Erik Barrientos), who is a dedicated stoner and quickly develops a fondness for Amy.

Despite its considerable ambitions, the film falls short mainly at the script level. Tran and her cowriters, Jewells Santos and Delia van Praag, attempt to rely on performances and visuals to convey meaning. However, much of the dialogue lacks subtlety and fails to be cryptic or insinuating. It also lacks the necessary detail to push the film towards a more elaborate or surreal direction. Overall, the film shows promise but doesn’t fully achieve its potential.