tigerfish50 Ed is the patriarch of an Asian-American family, and after retiring from his job, he mopes about the house, periodically making ineffective attempts at suicide, which are depicted in a comedic manner. In between these episodes he watches home movies of his three daughters' childhoods, while his offspring embark on their lives. The oldest girl is planning her wedding to an Ivy League blue-blood, while the middle one is a medical student who becomes attracted to a soap actress researching the role of a doctor. The youngest is a high school student who responds to a schoolmate's romantic overtures by leaving dead rats in his mailbox. After Ed heads off to a Buddhist monastery to confront his issues, the daughters deal with the shallow arcs of their respective narratives . A few quirky ingredients are added to spice up their story-lines, but none amount to anything more than a few moments diversion from the director's wooden attempts to evoke a Zen sensibility with pseudo-minimalist techniques. By the time Ed returns, two of the daughters have hooked up with their prospects, and the third has disposed of her unsuitable suitor. The vibrant Asian-American culture deserves better than this self-consciously coy contribution.

David Landau You could say a film proves itself by whether you give it a second thought. Another proof is how the film plays on second viewing. "Red Doors" plays very well on first viewing and lodges itself in your memory. On second viewing, it inspires awe.This film does not give up its secrets in bursts of action or plot-twists. Its strengths are symphonic, and it builds to a conclusion that will remain in your thoughts for a long time afterward. I especially appreciate the way it leaves its audience; "Red Doors" honors its viewers without ever pandering to them.Everything about the film seems natural and easygoing until you see things that leave you wondering: How did they know? Ordinary things--the angle of a girl's hair, a home-video montage--grab you by the throat. The music craftily draws the viewer into the situations without ever drawing attention to itself. The performances, without obvious star-turns, have a cumulative impact that's just overwhelming. To see "Red Doors" is to form an attachment to it. To see it again is to immerse yourself and love it.

TxMike Budding auteur Georgia Lee, Harvard educated of Chinese ancestry, wrote and directed 'Red Doors.' Only one red door (actually a double entrance door) is actually featured, at the home of the featured family. It seems that red has meanings of joy and happiness.Here we have what at first seems like a typical Chinese-American family. Dad is 60 and has just retired. Mom stays at home. Oldest daughter is a successful business person, middle daughter is a medical school student doing well, and youngest daughter is in high school, bent on doing her own thing. The oldest daughter is living with a Caucasian boyfriend and is planning her wedding which is scheduled soon.While the movie is pleasant and told in a pleasant manner, the main themes are broadly hinted at early so it is no surprise when they develop that way. That isn't all bad, but I was hoping for more subtlety. Not all the acting is convincing, and some of the transitions are abrupt. Still, an overall enjoyable movie.SPOILERS. Dad seems depressed, by his account has tried suicide at least 30 times. "What happened?", asks the shrink. "I was always interrupted." So he sees a Buddist monastery in a leaflet and leaves home to hang out with the monks, with no word to his family. Oldest daughter is planning the wedding but feels that it may not be right. Almost at the last minute tells her fiancée' that she is not ready, gives his ring back. Middle daughter finds herself attracted to a pretty actress who is doing research at the hospital for a movie role. They become a couple. Dad finally comes home, youngest daughter gets a boyfriend, the red doors bring happiness.

YNOTswim "Red Doors" is not a bad melodrama with some dark humor here and there. The Wongs is a traditional yet dysfunctional Chinese family with three daughters living in the suburbs of New York City. The eldest Samantha is a successful business woman who is about to get married to a Yale graduate. The middle one Julie is a shy medical student who fells in love with an actress. The youngest Katie is a rebellious high school student who expresses her affection to her high school mate in the most bizarre way. Not enough drama? Here comes the quiet dad, Ed, who overcomes his own crisis due to the newly retirement life by either watching his daughters' childhood videos or tried to kill himself.They have done everything to bless the best fortune for the family, including the red door at the front gate. But things don't seem always go the way they have hoped for.This film does a great job on examining the conflicts and confusions in these characters' minds with superb performance from the cast. But I simple can't get over with the fact that there is no Asian man in this film except the dad. All three daughters date Caucasians, even Julie dates a white chick! If the story were set in Kansas or Alabama, it would have been understandable because Asian men don't want to live there. But New York? I can't help but to feel unsettling with this "arrangement." Other than that, it's not a bad film.