An Unlikely Path to Self-Discovery: ‘Quiz Lady’ Review
Six-year-old Anne Yum (Jodi Hou) settled in front of the television; her enthusiasm radiated from her being as the beloved gameshow called “Can’t Stop the Quiz” aired. Chaos ensued in the background, but it quickly faded once her older sister turned up the volume. From then on, the gameshow became her escape from her chaotic home life. The show left a permanent mark on her life, as missing even one day would make her feel incomplete. It integrated into her routine, and, slowly but surely, she would memorize the host’s multiple catchphrases and small gestures.
Quiz Lady (2023) is a comedy film directed by Jessica Yu, following Anne Yum (Awkwafina) earning a call from their mother’s nursing home. Her estranged older sister, Jenny Yum (Sandra Oh), arrived in a flurry of chaos due to a misunderstanding. This miscommunication leads to Jenny staying with Anne for the time being, giving Jenny a glimpse of Anne’s structured life. Once Jenny learns of Anne’s rapid response to the questions given, she films Anne before uploading it onto the internet, leading Anne to become a viral sensation. The viral video uproots Anne’s quiet life and steers a dilemma in her direction. To cover their mother’s gambling debt, both Anne and Jenny set out on an adventure to acquire the money the fastest way possible, making Anne a gameshow champion.
The comedy in the film is hysterically ridiculous. Due to a misunderstanding, Jenny believes her mother is dead rather than missing, and in the background of Anne, the audience can see Jenny almost getting run over by a car. Her expression is laughable due to the audience knowing it was a misunderstanding. Tense moments are treated as absurd but handled in a humorous manner. As a consequence of her mother’s gambling, Anne inherits some hefty debts. To motivate her, the debt collector kidnaps Anne’s dog, Linguini. The kidnapping of Linguini is a spin on the kidnapping trope, as Linguini is treated well– spoiled even. The debt collector feeds Linguini wagyu steak to coerce him into never wanting to return to Anne. Humoristic moments like this are scattered throughout the film, producing laughter during the runtime.
In the beginning of the film, Anne is shown to be very structured in her routine. She yearns to be left alone to her own devices and floats through life. Her life is thrown into a loop as Jenny stays with her for a while, unintentionally disrupting her peace. Jenny attempts to push Anne out of her comfort zone instead of continuously following her constant routine. Jenny kidnaps her sister to get her out of her shell, under the guise of saving Linguini and becoming a contestant on Anne’s favorite gameshow. Jenny helps Anne, who is riddled with anxiety during the audition, and while her intention is good, her execution was lacking. Anne began to gather more confidence in herself afterward, when the two sisters waited to hear if she would be a contestant.
The film focuses on the relationship between the two sisters and their differing perspectives on the relationship. In the beginning, Anne perceives she had to fend for herself when she and her sister were grown up. She holds a slight resentment for Jenny leaving to follow her abundance of dreams; the feeling of abandonment consumed her, and those feelings returned the more time she spent with Jenny. Jenny repeatedly tried to protect Anne from the harsh realities of the world. From turning the volume up to distracting Anne from their parents’ constant fighting to taking the fall for pooping on the lawn of their cousin’s yard, Jenny had always acted as Anne’s protector. However, Anne’s innate sense of independence often overlooks Jenny's care, but the audience understands Jenny’s pivotal role.
After her neighbor from hell, Francine (Holland Taylor), invites Anne inside her house, Anne reminisces about Jenny’s actions during their youth. She realizes Jenny, in her own way, did try to shield her from their disorderly home life. Anne realized that she wasn’t happy with her routine. She had become too reliant on it and needed change. Spending time with Jenny showed Anne she had the potential to win the gameshow and get her dog back. Her confidence plummets after the realization of reality settles in. Standing before the gameshow host, Terry McTeer (Will Ferrell), and the live audience, she freezes. She is not in the comfort of her home, having her sister with her, or having Linguini by her side. She is truly alone during this experience.
Awkwafina and Sandra Oh have incredible chemistry. The film thrives off of their enthusiasm and talents. Both of their interpretations of their characters helped sell the ridiculousness of the plot. Awkwafina gave an outstanding performance as Anne, in the manner in which she played up the anxiety as well as expressing a hint of resentment and frustration against Oh’s character. Oh’s performance as the overprotective older sister is deserving of appreciation. She juggles the complexity of the hilariously unhinged character and embeds sincerity into Jenny seamlessly.
Quiz Lady adeptly meshes humor and heart, using the backdrop of a gameshow obsession to explore the complex dynamic between the two estranged sisters. Awkwafina and Sandra Oh’s chemistry propelled the film’s comedic moments into a poignant exploration of sisterly bonds. As Anne navigates the unexpected fame and chaos induced by her sister’s antics, the film skillfully tackles themes of self-discovery and the importance of welcoming change. Through absurd moments scattered throughout the film, Quiz Lady leaves the audience with a poignant message: embrace unexpected detours as they could lead to the most meaningful destinations.
