Ping Pong Playa
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJessica Yu
Written byJimmy Tsai
Jessica Yu
Produced byAnne Clements
Joan Huang
Jeffrey Gou
StarringJimmy Tsai
Andrew Vo
Khary Payton
Jim Lau
Roger Fan
Elizabeth Sung
Javin Reid
Kevin Chung
Peter Paige
Smith Cho
Scott Lowell
Stephnie Weir
CinematographyFrank G. Demarco
Edited byZene Baker
Music byJeff Beal
Distributed byIFC Films
Release dates
  • September 9, 2007 (2007-09-09) (TIFF)
  • September 5, 2008 (2008-09-05) (United States)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Chinese
Box office$77,907[1]

Ping Pong Playa is a 2007 American sports comedy film directed by Jessica Yu and written by Yu and Jimmy Tsai.[2][3] The story centers on a Chinese ping pong family living in California with a buffoonish and irreverent son.

Plot

Christopher Wang is a 25-year-old man who lives under his Asian-American parents in a suburb in Southern California. His father, who was a prominent ping pong player in his youth, owns a sports goods shop, and his mother teaches young children at the sport at the local community center. Outperformed by his older brother, Michael, who is considered by their parents as more mature and responsible and has brought pride to the family by winning regional ping pong tournaments, Chris seems to lack motivation and a realistic vision for his career, indulging in defeating young kids in basketball, riding a mini moped and playing video games.

After his mother and Michael are injured in a minor car accident, Chris comes to learn about taking responsibility by taking over his mother's ping pong class and representing his family in the forthcoming ping pong tournament. With the training by his father and the support of his friends including a posse of young pupils, Chris strives to prove to those who put trust in him that he is capable of making serious effort while following through a commitment.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Film and television review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 64% based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[4] Review aggregator Metacritic gives the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally mixed reviews".[5] Film critic Justin Lowe of the Associated Press write in his review: "Yu directs with a clever eye and nimble camera, filling scenes with wicked banter, slapstick comedy and amusing visual puns. The rest of her team plays at a similarly skillful level, buoyed by a gleeful score featuring nonstop hip-hop beats."[6]

Home Media

Ping Pong Playa was released on DVD on January 6, 2009, by Image Entertainment.[7] Ping Pong Playa was released on Blu-ray February 10, 2009.[8]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to Ping Pong Playa was released on CD on December 16, 2008, by Lakeshore Records.[9]

Track listing

  1. "Chinese School" (CHOPS)
  2. "HK Superstar" (Jin Au-Yeung featuring Daniel Wu; Au-Yeung, Prohgress, Kevnish, Joe Cheung, and Stefan Taylor)
  3. "My Rims" (CHOPS, Lil Weavah)
  4. "Oh Oh Oh" (Kebyar; Mark Brooks and Rhaphael Turpley)
  5. "Gotta Give It to 'Em" (Lexkon; Jason Rabinowitz, Gideon Black, and Hiles Black)
  6. "I Like Cereal" (CHOPS)
  7. "Goin' Dumb" (Against the Grain; Dustin Martin and Liz Ottinger)
  8. "I Wish" (Far East Movement)
  9. "Swing Baby Swing" (The DNC; Joachim Rygg, Stella Mwangi, and Abdul Saleh)
  10. "Work" (Far East Movement)
  11. "The Whistling Song" (The Pinker Tones; Salvador Rey Nagel and Alejandro Llovet Puigmarti)
  12. "Who Wants to Party" (Cobalt Party Revolution; Ryan Michael Tilly, David John Willard, Jeffrey John Sankuer, and Vincent Ignatus Strokis III)
  13. "My Spot" (Against the Grain; Dustin Martin and Liz Ottinger)
  14. "I'm a Champ" (Far East Movement)

References

  1. ↑ "Ping Pong Playa". Box Office Mojo. United States: IMDb. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  2. ↑ Amith, Dennis A. "Are you Game? Award Winning Director Jessica Yu is back with Ping Pong Playa" (PDF). Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  3. ↑ "Ping Pong Playa". Turner Classic Movies. United States: Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Ping Pong Playa". Rotten Tomatoes. United States: Fandango. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Ping Pong Playa". Metacritic. United States: CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  6. ↑ Lowe, Justin (April 22, 2008). "Ping Pong Playa". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group (Eldridge Industries). Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  7. ↑ Ping Pong Playa. Image Entertainment (DVD). Chatsworth, Los Angeles: RLJ Entertainment. January 6, 2009. ASIN B001HB1K00. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  8. ↑ Ping Pong Playa Blu-ray, retrieved 2018-06-29
  9. ↑ "Ping Pong Playa: Original Soundtrack". Lakeshore Records (CD). Los Angeles: Lakeshore Entertainment. December 16, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
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