IN A NEW YORK MINUTE: A Unique, But Uneven Look At Love

Ximan Li‘s In A New York Minute is an intimate look at the nuances of love – especially in Asian American culture. Based on a Chinese Short story, it follows the individual stories of three women as their lives intersect through one pregnancy test. They each learn that the pregnancy test may just be the solution to each of their problems.

Amy (Amy Chang) has developed an eating disorder from a breakup while her mom continues to pressure her to date men she sets her daughter up with. Angel (Yi Liu) is a struggling actress in a loveless marriage having an affair with a screenwriter who won’t commit to her. Nina (a standout performance from Celia Au), meanwhile, is a prostitute who’s being courted by her friend Ian, while simultaneously trying to break free from her family’s iron grip. It’s a fascinating look at three different types of love for three very different women.

Let me preface by saying as a white male, I may not be the right audience, and it could resonate stronger with Asian or female audiences. But, in my opinion, while they all share some commonality and an unhappiness in their present lives, Angel is the only one who truly feels like a real person. The film is gorgeous to look at and the camerawork is precise. Unfortunately, too much of it feels almost like a soap opera between the situations the women find themselves in, the writing and the performances. That’s not to say there’s not a lot to be admired in the film, but the second vignette raises the bar to a standard the other two can’t live up to.

A fascinating look at love in Asian American culture.

In In A New York Minute, nobody is living the life they want. Amy is so depressed from a recent breakup and hiding her true self, she’s developed an eating disorder where she vomits every time she eats. Angel is stuck in a loveless, yet not miserable marriage and can’t land the kinds of roles she wants to play. Nina is stuck working as an escort helping pay for her father’s medical treatment despite her stepmother’s ability to pay more.

It feels a reflection of the pressures of being a first generation Asian American – especially when it comes to dating. The intrusive role Amy and Nina’s families both play in their lives even as adults shadows over them. Angel feels like she settled for what was expected to be right on paper, despite her heart saying otherwise. It’s something I can identify with to a certain extent as a Jewish American, but to see it so vividly on screen is truly eye opening.

Ximan Li shows great promise.

Both as a writer and director, I was impressed by Ximan Li. I was not familiar with her work, but her ability to bring out nuances in both Asian American culture and New York dating was admirable. Her work with Mego Lin on the cinematography was gorgeous – each shot felt like its own unique photograph and the camera’s ability to focus on and follow each of the three women made the entire film feel very intimate. I’m excited to see what else she has up her sleeve in the future as she writes more and gets more experience.

Still, In A New York Minute feels overwritten.

Parts of the film are used to make a point effectively, while at the same time feeling so unbelievable either in the way they’re written or delivered that it’s hard to feel like the world we’re viewing is a real one. At one point in Amy’s story, her coworker Peter asks her out over text message and later proposes to her after dating just a few weeks. She agrees to date him and have sex with him despite showing absolutely no interest in him. At one point, when her mom half jokingly threatens to throw herself out the window, Amy replies”Every window from China to New York has heard your threats.” It’s a good line, but it’s not how people talk.

There are a few points like this throughout all three of the vignettes. Nina’s friend Ian confesses his love to her in a grand gesture despite her profession and the pair not feeling like anything romantic has been exchanged between them. Even the way all three storylines intertwine and resolve is incredibly creative and makes great points – it just feels very overwritten to the point that it kind of takes you out of the film.

A unique premise with room to improve.

Overall, In A New York Minute feels unique in its premise and execution. It’s a very promising entry early in Ximan Li‘s filmography and I very much look forward to following her career and her unique perspective. The insights we get into dating, love and Asian American culture feel authentic, even if not entirely fresh. Unfortunately, it feels overwritten at points which takes the viewer out of fully believing in the story.