Finishing the Game

Finishing the Game is a 2007 mockumentary film directed by Justin Lin. It is a comedic and unconventional exploration of the 1970s cinematic world, centering primarily around Hollywood's response to the sudden death of groundbreaking martial arts sensation and movie star, Bruce Lee. While it doesn't directly name Lee, it creates an obvious parallel with a character named ‘Breeze Loo.’

The film stars Roger Fan, Dustin Nguyen, and Sung Kang among a diverse and talented ensemble cast which offers a wry, hilarious, yet poignant handling of the era's chauvinism, discrimination, and stereotyping, particularly in the filmmaking industry with respect to Asian actors.

Roger Fan embodies a delightfully smug character named Breeze Loo, an actor who previously worked as Bruce Lee's stunt double, and has nurtured dreams of stardom. With Lee's untimely death, the pressures and allure of fame surge for Breeze Loo when a nationwide search is declared for the next martial arts superstar to complete the unfinished films. Fan encapsulates Breeze Loo's personality with aplomb, proving the character's transformation throughout the film.

Dustin Nguyen portrays Troy Poon, an Asian actor dealing with a pile of B-movie credits and roles that repetitively stereotype his ethnicity. The struggles of Poon are an astute commentary on the persistent typecasting in Hollywood, bringing an insightful yet humorous dimension to the movie.

Sung Kang plays Colgate Kim, an actor-in-training who is incessantly optimistic but suffers from a lack of talent. His candid portrayal of Kim, a once medical student turned hopeful martial arts movie star, adds a layer of lighthearted tragicomedy to the film.

Finishing the Game also includes remarkable performances by James Franco, McCaleb Burnett, and Mousa Kraish, each exquisitely crafting characters that add to the narrative's humor and sardonicism.

The heart of Finishing the Game lies in its blatant send-up of the film industry's prejudices and narrow-mindedness. It exposes the harsh realities that many minority actors face while trying to find work in Hollywood, but does so with a sense of humor that straddles the line between satirical and audacious.

Lin’s stalwart direction is hilarious, daring, and insightful throughout, highlighting the film’s abundant parodies and tongue-in-cheek humor. He directs with an unwavering flair and improvisational feel that perfectly captures the grassroots filmmaking of the 70s. The film's grainy texture and faded color palette, coupled with a soundtrack reminiscent of the 1970s, underscore its nostalgic resonance.

Moreover, the script, penned by Lin and Josh Diamond, effectively employs a narrative of mini vignettes spotlighting the various protagonists. This storytelling element serves as a vehicle to critique the racial and sexist undertones that pervaded the 1970s, while simultaneously mirroring the various archetypes that plagued Eastern actors in Hollywood during this time.

One of the strengths of Finishing the Game lies in its disarmingly candid representation of complicated characters, each possessing their own dreams, vulnerabilities, and flaws. It features distinct personalities, diverse character arcs, and non-stop humor to explore the movie industry's biases and stereotypes.

Finishing the Game, while delivering a unique brand of comedy, never shies away from confronting the hard truths of the industry, providing a bridge between the Hollywood of the past and its current state, provoking questions about change and progress. Deeply nostalgic, etched with gratifying humor, and laden with significant social commentary, this Justin Lin’s directed piece is a compelling exploration of the 1970s Hollywood and its flawed yet amusing endeavours.