‘Left-Handed Girl’ Does Everything Right

Weaving in and out of cacophonous Taiwanese traffic, two sisters hurriedly ride a moped into the heart of Taipei to not only work with their mother, but find themselves in the process.

Directed and co-written by Shih-Ching Tsou, “Left-Handed Girl” was co-produced, co-written and edited by Sean Baker, whose filmmaking fingerprints are left all over. 

Tsou and Baker have a lengthy professional relationship, from co-directing “Take Out” in 2004 to Tsou serving as a producer on the majority of Baker’s films, including “The Florida Project” and “Starlet.” “Left-Handed Girl” stands as her solo directorial debut.

After moving back to Taipei to operate a noodle stall in a night market, single mom Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai) and her two daughters, I-Jing (Nina Ye) and I-Ann (Ma Shih-Yuan), have to navigate their new city life while dealing with familial conflicts. 

A key plot point stems from the titular “Left-Handed Girl” — I-Jing — and her grandfather’s fervent disapproval of her left-hand dominance. After seeing I-Jing using chopsticks with her left hand, her grandfather, played by Akio Chen, berates her, telling her to quit using “the devil’s hand.”

In Chinese culture, the use of one’s left hand isn’t only discouraged, it’s often prevented, with less than 1% of Chinese students being left-handed as compared to the global average of 10%, according to a 2013 study by Howard Kushner, Ph.D.. Explanations range from culturally valued uniformity to simple logistics of writing in Mandarin.

From that point forward, I-Jing uses her dominant hand as a scapegoat, developing a shoplifting addiction under the guise of the devil controlling her hand. At only six years old, Ye (“Penguin Girl,” “I Am The Secret In Your Heart”) delivers a nuanced portrayal of a young girl who both exploits and hates an unchangeable part of herself.  

However, perhaps the strongest performance in the film is Ma Shih-Yuan’s multilayered performance of older sister I-Ann. At the beginning, I-Ann is presented as a stereotypical rebellious young adult working at a cigarette stand — a front for an escort service. 

Over the course of the film, her character blossoms into an emotionally complex woman who wants to find her place in the world, while also dealing with the consequences of her fractious actions.

After being taunted at a house party for not attending college, I-Ann’s overly confident facade shatters as she realizes she resents her life choices. While she outwardly lashes out at those in the party, when she gets home, her breakdown paints an intricate portrait of an emotionally suppressed individual. 

Like Baker’s “Tangerine,” the movie was filmed completely on an iPhone. The small size of the phone allows for closer shots traditional cameras can’t squeeze into, capturing intimate interactions within the confines of a cramped night market stall. Its grainy imperfections also give the film a nostalgic sentiment, like watching a documentation of one’s own life.

One such example is Shu-Fen’s struggle to support her family working in a barely profitable noodle stand. Uniquely personal closeups show sheer exasperation, sweat dripping down her face, a furrowed brow and a sauce-stained apron. 

Shu-Fen must also navigate her relationship with her own mom, the film spinning their dynamic into a critique of the Chinese preference for patriarchy.

However, additions such as a pet meerkat named Googoo and a cartoonish caricature of the feisty grandma remove the viewer from the utter realism of the rest of the film. Thankfully, these shortcomings take a backseat to the much more down-to-earth features of the movie.

Throughout “Left-Handed Girl,” even in one of the overwhelming and flashy settings of a lively Taiwanese night market, director Tsou calls upon cultural Chinese taboos, combining them with modern filmmaking to create a movie whose unique visage draws viewers into its personal performances and uplifting story. 

“Left-Handed Girl” will be available to stream on Netflix Nov. 28.