Shortcomings Trailer: Randall Park Adapts Hit Graphic Novel

Sony Pictures Classics has released the official trailer for Shortcomings, an upcoming film adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. The film cemters on Ben (Justin H. Min), a self-sabotaging college student who moves to New York to discover what he really wants out of life. Sony Pictures Classics has a pretty good record with adapting comics without any superheroes in them, having been the studio behind the wildly underrated Deadly Class on Syfy. This adaptation also centers on AAPI characters, and follows on the heels of Disney+’s adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese, both adaptations of beloved graphic novels to the screen.

One big selling point for fans with Shortcomings is the director: Ant-Man and Blockbuster star Randall Park is helming the movie, which marks his directorial debut. Since he popped up in the first Ant-Man movie, Park’s Jimmy Woo has stepped up into the role vacated by Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson as the most lovable government employee in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I am such a huge fan of Adrian’s work, and I’m very excited to team with him and Roadside Attractions on this updated, modern take of ‘Shortcomings,’” Park said when the film was announced. “In these characters, I see versions of Asian Americans in my own life — the ones I love and the ones I just kind of tolerate.”

Shortcomings was originally serialized in issues #9 through #11 of Tomine’s comic book series Optic Nerve. It was released as a whole in 2007. The book made numerous “best of 2007” lists upon release but has never been adapted. Tomine said that had long resisted adaptation of Shortcomings due to concerns it wouldn’t reflect the style and spirit of the material, but is honored to be part of this collaboration.

You can see the trailer below.

Here’s the official synopsis for the movie:

Ben, a struggling filmmaker, lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko, who works for a local Asian American film festival. When he’s not managing an arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice, a queer grad student with a serial dating habit. When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want.

Written by Tomine and directed by Park, Shortcomings stars Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, Debby Ryan, Tavi Gevinson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jacob Batalon, Timothy Simons.

Shortcomings opens in theaters on August 4.