What’s It About
In the heart of South Central, Julian Lee, a Chinese teen raised by the Lees, Joe, and Annabelle, finds himself navigating the rhythms of a predominantly black neighborhood. Alongside him is May-Ling, an Asian exchange student thrown into the mix of a black household. The Lee couple, portrayed by Ernie Hudson and Pam Grier, are in for a surprise when they realize their adopted son isn’t black but Chinese. As Julian grows into his teen years, tragedy strikes with his father’s passing, prompting a move to Atlanta with his mother in search of a fresh start. In Atlanta, Julian strives to fit in, wielding his Asian-American identity with a blend of hip-hop slang and impressive basketball skills. Despite the perplexity of the local teens, Julian finds himself intervening when his younger brother Perry falls in with the wrong crowd led by the gangsta Frog. Meanwhile, May-Ling’s journey mirrors Julian’s as she grapples with the cultural nuances of living with a black family. Through inventive cross-cultural comedy, she learns to navigate the unfamiliar terrain, adding depth to the theme of racial harmony. The film’s soundtrack weaves together the beats of hip-hop, the groove of funk, and the melodies of Asian instrumentals, providing a rich backdrop to the unfolding narrative.
Why It’s Gone
This title was initially released on DVD by Image Entertainment on January 4, 2000. Since then, many titles have been lost in the shuffle of media takeovers and format changes. Image Entertainment focused on Laserdiscs until DVDs became the prominent form. In 2012, through various acquisitions, Image became RLJ Entertainment, a privately owned subsidiary of AMC Networks. Whether lost or not, Fakin’ Da Funk would be too controversial for today’s market. If you really want a copy, you can Google it. Several sites (including Amazon) sell it for $9.00 – 198.99, most of which are DVD-R copies.