Gook

Los Angeles: Brothers Eli and Daniel own a struggling shoe store in South Central. At times, Daniel would rather let the business slide a little bit than pass up on having a good time. Their days are brightened by visits from Kamilla, a black orphan from the neighbourhood who skips school to hang out with the guys in the shop. Kamilla’s older brother Keith does not approve and forbids his sister from seeing the ‘Gooks’, but the charismatic youngster does not care triggering conflict. Simultaneously, riots break out across the city and looting and violence slowly approach the shop. Set against the backdrop of the 1992 riots, which followed the Rodney King sentencing, director and lead Justin Chon has managed to bring forth a stylishly set, highly dramatic and delightfully amusing film reminiscent of the works of indie icons Spike Lee and Kevin Smith, in his very own idiom.