• Latest
  • Trending
Forge Review

Forge Review: Sibling Bonds Under Neon Skies

Day of Reckoning Review

Day of Reckoning Review: Archetypes Under Pressure in a Modern West

The Hunt Review

The Hunt Review: Charting 13 Years of Trauma and Division

Destination X Review

Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

Spray Paint Simulator Review

Spray Paint Simulator Review: Coating the Town, One Careful Layer at a Time

Tim Travers the Time Travelers Paradox Review

Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Review: Samuel Dunning Stars (and Stars, and Stars…)

Earnhardt Review

Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

the last of us season 2

Laughs and Gasps: Fans Split on The Last of Us Season-Finale Tone

8 hours ago
Russell Brand

Russell Brand Denies Historic Rape Charges in London Court

9 hours ago
Ming-Na Wen

California-Shot “Mandalorian & Grogu” Eyes May Debut, Casting Rumors Swirl

9 hours ago
Nine Puzzles

Disney+ Crime Hit Nine Puzzles Races Past Records in First Week

9 hours ago
Justin Ducharme

Cast Set as Seventeen Enters Production on Canada’s West Coast

9 hours ago
Noah's Arc revival

Paramount Sets June Premiere for Noah’s Arc Film Revival

21 hours ago
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Gazettely Review Guidelines
Friday, May 30, 2025
GAZETTELY
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    the last of us season 2

    Laughs and Gasps: Fans Split on The Last of Us Season-Finale Tone

    Russell Brand

    Russell Brand Denies Historic Rape Charges in London Court

    Ming-Na Wen

    California-Shot “Mandalorian & Grogu” Eyes May Debut, Casting Rumors Swirl

    Nine Puzzles

    Disney+ Crime Hit Nine Puzzles Races Past Records in First Week

    Justin Ducharme

    Cast Set as Seventeen Enters Production on Canada’s West Coast

    Noah's Arc revival

    Paramount Sets June Premiere for Noah’s Arc Film Revival

    Dua Lipa

    Cumberbatch and Dua Lipa Lead Call to Halt UK Arms to Israel

    Graham King & Ray Winstone

    Graham King and Ray Winstone Reunite for Period Crime Saga London

    Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video

    Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video Command 92 Percent of Streaming Sports

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    Day of Reckoning Review

    Day of Reckoning Review: Archetypes Under Pressure in a Modern West

    The Hunt Review

    The Hunt Review: Charting 13 Years of Trauma and Division

    Destination X Review

    Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

    Tim Travers the Time Travelers Paradox Review

    Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Review: Samuel Dunning Stars (and Stars, and Stars…)

    Earnhardt Review

    Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

    The Ritual Review

    The Ritual Review: An Unsettled Echo in a Somber Chamber

    Dept. Q Review

    Dept. Q Review: Edinburgh’s Gloom and a Detective’s Fractured Soul

    And Just Like That... Season 3 Review

    And Just Like That… Season 3 Review: A Stylish Step Forward, But Does It Go Far Enough?

    Sneaky Links Dating After Dark Review

    Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark Review: From Hookup to Hangup?

  • Game Reviews
    Spray Paint Simulator Review

    Spray Paint Simulator Review: Coating the Town, One Careful Layer at a Time

    F1 25 Review

    F1 25 Review: A Stunning Drive, If You Have the Right Rig

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review: Whip-Smart Mechanics and Pixel Charm

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review: Condensed Chaos for Tarnished Veterans

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review: An Anime Perspective on a Rogue-like Path

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review: The Taranis’s Final, Heartfelt Song

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review: A Perilous Loop of Progress

    Wings of Endless Review

    Wings of Endless Review: More Than Just a Flight of Fancy?

    Creature Keeper Review

    Creature Keeper Review: A Keeper’s Tale of Ambition and Issues

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    the last of us season 2

    Laughs and Gasps: Fans Split on The Last of Us Season-Finale Tone

    Russell Brand

    Russell Brand Denies Historic Rape Charges in London Court

    Ming-Na Wen

    California-Shot “Mandalorian & Grogu” Eyes May Debut, Casting Rumors Swirl

    Nine Puzzles

    Disney+ Crime Hit Nine Puzzles Races Past Records in First Week

    Justin Ducharme

    Cast Set as Seventeen Enters Production on Canada’s West Coast

    Noah's Arc revival

    Paramount Sets June Premiere for Noah’s Arc Film Revival

    Dua Lipa

    Cumberbatch and Dua Lipa Lead Call to Halt UK Arms to Israel

    Graham King & Ray Winstone

    Graham King and Ray Winstone Reunite for Period Crime Saga London

    Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video

    Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video Command 92 Percent of Streaming Sports

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    Day of Reckoning Review

    Day of Reckoning Review: Archetypes Under Pressure in a Modern West

    The Hunt Review

    The Hunt Review: Charting 13 Years of Trauma and Division

    Destination X Review

    Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

    Tim Travers the Time Travelers Paradox Review

    Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Review: Samuel Dunning Stars (and Stars, and Stars…)

    Earnhardt Review

    Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

    The Ritual Review

    The Ritual Review: An Unsettled Echo in a Somber Chamber

    Dept. Q Review

    Dept. Q Review: Edinburgh’s Gloom and a Detective’s Fractured Soul

    And Just Like That... Season 3 Review

    And Just Like That… Season 3 Review: A Stylish Step Forward, But Does It Go Far Enough?

    Sneaky Links Dating After Dark Review

    Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark Review: From Hookup to Hangup?

  • Game Reviews
    Spray Paint Simulator Review

    Spray Paint Simulator Review: Coating the Town, One Careful Layer at a Time

    F1 25 Review

    F1 25 Review: A Stunning Drive, If You Have the Right Rig

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review: Whip-Smart Mechanics and Pixel Charm

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review: Condensed Chaos for Tarnished Veterans

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review: An Anime Perspective on a Rogue-like Path

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review: The Taranis’s Final, Heartfelt Song

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review: A Perilous Loop of Progress

    Wings of Endless Review

    Wings of Endless Review: More Than Just a Flight of Fancy?

    Creature Keeper Review

    Creature Keeper Review: A Keeper’s Tale of Ambition and Issues

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
GAZETTELY
No Result
View All Result
Forge Review

American Sweatshop Review: Lili Reinhart’s Captivating Turn

Alan Cumming’s Offhand Remark Fuels Avengers: Doomsday Speculation

Home Entertainment Movies

Forge Review: Sibling Bonds Under Neon Skies

Vimala Mangat by Vimala Mangat
3 weeks ago
in Entertainment, Movies, Reviews
Reading Time: 8 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on WhatsAppShare on Telegram

Under the neon glare of Miami’s art world—and beneath its opulence—Forge invites viewers into the intricate dance of deception. Jing Ai Ng’s first feature, unveiled at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, traces the daring path of Coco and Raymond Zhang, Chinese American siblings whose exquisite forgeries bankroll a precarious existence. When trust‑fund heir Holden Beaumont recruits them for a monumental scam, their calculated precision collides with the determined pursuit of FBI agent Emily Lee.

Shot by Leo Purman, Miami emerges as both sun‑drenched paradise and shadowy underbelly, its vibrant palettes and looming decay echoing traditions of Indian parallel cinema that merge realism with symbolic weight. As Forge unfolds, it channels the moral complexity of Bollywood capers—where family loyalty and personal ambition tangle in equal measure—and raises questions of belonging, artifice and self‑definition in a globalized age. This section will explore how Forge interlaces caper momentum with intimate family portraiture, while navigating the blurred lines between authenticity and illusion.

Crafting Suspense Through Three Acts

In its first act, Forge opens in a seedy Miami motel, where Coco’s playful deception immediately sets the tone. She feigns naïveté before a Craigslist appraiser, while Raymond stands guard—this scene stakes out their sibling bond and the contrast between Raymond’s day job at a resort and their secret forgery trade. When Holden Beaumont arrives with a high‑stakes offer, Coco nudges a hesitant Raymond into a scheme that will test their trust, planting the seed for mounting conflict.

The second act splits focus between Emily Lee’s careful FBI inquiry and the Zhangs’ expanding operation. Lee’s low‑key questioning—framing her as both outsider and insider—echoes the measured sleuthing found in Indian parallel films like those of Shyam Benegal, where investigation unfolds through small social cues rather than dramatic showdowns. Key moments—the restaurant dinner where cultures brush against each other, the revelation of Holden’s ruined collection after a hurricane, and the twins’ first large‑scale forgery—all arrive with weight. Yet the film’s deliberate pacing can stall: extended takes of Coco mixing lacquer or Lee scanning archives mirror Bollywood’s patience for character detail, but here they occasionally drain momentum.

In act three, the two worlds collide. An editing montage charts Lee closing in, while Coco and Raymond face personal stakes that can no longer be ignored. The final gathering in the family dim sum restaurant, shot in warm, golden light, reverses the motel setup and underscores the story’s full circle. This symmetry—tension loaded in opening and closing bookends—works well, even if the middle misses a sharper cut. The result feels crafted for emotional peaks, with crisp camera moves and an electronic score heightening urgency whenever the narrative finds its stride.

Faces of Deception and Duty: Forge’s Ensemble at Work

Andie Ju’s Coco Zhang is a study in controlled intensity. In her first scene—stalling a motel appraiser with faux grief—Ju channels the poise of a Bollywood heroine turned anti‑heroine, recalling Smita Patil’s quiet conviction in parallel cinema. Coco’s imposter‑syndrome arc unfolds subtly: when she stands before a six‑figure forgery, her eyes flicker between pride and doubt, conveying a woman who both owns her talent and questions her place in a world that values authenticity above all.

Brandon Soo Hoo’s Raymond functions as the narrative’s moral compass, torn between entrepreneurial daring and familial loyalty. His posture shifts—backlit against Miami’s neon at the resort, he appears secure; in dimly lit forgeries, shoulders hunched, you sense his anxiety. This tension mirrors sibling dynamics in Indian films like Kharij (1982), where duty to family collides with personal ambition. Soo Hoo and Ju share a rhythm in their silent exchanges: a glance in the restaurant kitchen, a whispered correction in the studio, building to moments of crackling trust and betrayal.

Edmund Donovan’s Holden Beaumont arrives with a practiced charm that belies desperation. His requests feel casual—“Can you redo my grandfather’s floods?”—yet the tremor in Donovan’s voice hints at deeper insecurity. The shift from client to co‑conspirator peaks when he first sees Coco’s large‑scale replica: his awe turns to thinly veiled envy, capturing how privilege can erode empathy.

Kelly Marie Tran’s Agent Emily Lee brings welcome depth amid the schemers. Poised in her stark FBI office, she watches family dinner footage on her laptop, yearning for connection. Tran’s nuanced restraint—small smiles, a furrowed brow—echoes investigative leads in Indian thrillers like Talvar (2015), where performance carries the story when plot pauses.

Supporting turns enrich the tapestry: Dawn Ying Yuen’s mother grounds the film in cultural authenticity, her warm hospitality contrasting with criminal suspense. T.R. Knight’s motel dealer oozes sleaze, making you root for Coco, while Eva De Dominici’s Talia introduces subtle gender politics in Holden’s circle. Together, this ensemble strikes a balance between detached cool and flickers of genuine warmth, propelling Forge’s exploration of artifice into emotionally charged territory.

Visual Poetry in the Underbelly: Direction, Lens and Sound

Jing Ai Ng announces herself as a director to watch. In Forge, her confident debut marries disciplined plotting with bursts of raw feeling—echoing the measured pacing of Bollywood’s parallel stream, where storytelling often unfolds in quiet moments. Ng shifts effortlessly between playful caper beats (Coco’s motel hustle plays out like a cheeky heist vignette) and subdued thriller undercurrents (Emily Lee’s lone vigil at the archives). This restraint lends weight to each tonal pivot, inviting viewers to lean in rather than be jolted.

Leo Purman’s cinematography treats Miami as a living canvas. Neon‑lit club scenes pulse with kinetic energy, while the flooded McMansion sequence drips in hushed blues and grays, waterlogged memories seeping through cracked ceilings. Even the humble strip‑mall dim sum restaurant gains poetry in shadow and light, recalling the way Bengali auteur Satyajit Ray used Kolkata’s streets as more than backdrop—each frame in Forge underscores motifs of decay and transience.

Editing balances those striking bookends—high‑tension openings and closings—against a deliberately unhurried middle that sometimes stalls. The suspenseful montage of Emily piecing clues together nods to Fincher‑style precision, yet Ng diverges by granting space for cultural texture: lingered flourishes of family ritual or the rhythmic scraping of brush on canvas, underscoring the human cost of each forgery.

Ian Chang and Marco Carrión’s score hums with taut electronica, a subtle homage to Reznor/Ross but tailored to Miami’s melting pot. Diegetic sound—clinking teacups in the restaurant, pinpricks of lacquer being applied—melds with non‑diegetic synth pulses, crafting an auditory landscape where every heartbeat feels amplified.

When Mirrors Become Masks: Authenticity in Forge

In Forge, the tension between what’s genuine and what’s fabricated becomes a vivid portrait of identity. Art here doubles as metaphor: Coco and Raymond’s forgeries ask us to question what counts as “real”—a theme resonant with Bollywood’s exploration of self in films like English Vinglish (2012), where surface façades mask deeper truths. Their imposter syndrome—shaped by years of watching parents struggle—reflects a “second‑generation” dilemma seen in diaspora stories from Mira Nair to Gurinder Chadha.

Family and cultural roots anchor the narrative. The Zhang siblings juggle filial duty with personal dreams, a conflict familiar to Indian audiences through parallel cinema classics. The dim sum restaurant, with its chattering tables and red lanterns, serves as both refuge and stage: when Emily Lee steps inside, the space bridges her isolated FBI world with the Zhangs’ inherited community.

Class and power play out in every frame. The motel con in Act I flips racist assumptions—Coco’s quiet confidence outwits a presumptuous appraiser—mirroring moments in Lagaan (2001) where the underdogs claim cultural legitimacy. Later, Holden’s request for replicas forces questions of who gets to curate culture: is art a birthright of privilege or the province of those with passion?

Greed and consequence drive the siblings’ “one last job.” As they work on Holden’s water‑damaged paintings, each brushstroke carries risk: legal ruin for them, personal shame for him. Their stakes feel sharper because their struggle began on harder ground.

Finally, Miami itself embodies duality. Neon nights shimmer with promise while its flooded estates and empty boulevards echo isolation—a cinematic device akin to Satyajit Ray’s use of Kolkata’s rain‑soaked streets as emotional terrain. In Forge, external decay mirrors internal alienation, weaving space into the film’s very soul.

Crafting Tangibility: Design, Light and Sound in Forge

The production design grounds Forge in lived-in authenticity. The roadside motel feels worn at the seams—peeling wallpaper, flickering neon sign—while the Zhang family’s dim sum restaurant is rich with cultural detail: red lanterns, communal tables and hand-painted menus. In contrast, Holden’s flooded McMansion uses practical water tanks and distressed wood beams to evoke real decay, recalling how Satyajit Ray shot Kolkata’s rain‑soaked alleys to mirror inner turmoil.

Costumes and props play a subtle storytelling role. Coco and Raymond’s muted wardrobe—simple tees, denim, work aprons—reflects their blue‑collar roots, whereas Holden’s crisp linen and leather accessories signal inherited wealth. The film lingers on Coco’s lacquer tools—pins, coffee‑stained cloths—each close‑up turning forgery into a tactile ritual, much like Indian period dramas that emphasize artisans’ hands at work.

Visual effects and makeup remain transparent. Canvases bear genuine rustication—hand‑applied cracks and water stains—so that experts on screen could easily believe their age. Lighting choices underscore emotional shifts: family‑dinner scenes glimmer in warm amber, echoing Bollywood’s intimate domestic moments; FBI offices are lit with cool, clinical whites that heighten alienation. Neon cityscapes, rendered without heavy grading, nod to noir traditions in world cinema.

Sound mixing and foley enrich textures: the scraping of a paintbrush, the gentle creak of a motel door, ambient chatter in the restaurant—all layered to immerse viewers. These tactile details make Forge a study in how technical craft can embody thematic depth.

Final Brushstrokes: Forge’s Triumphs and Trials

Balancing its thematic ambition with intimate character work, Forge delivers a layered caper. Andie Ju’s Coco channels magnetism and moral complexity, while Kelly Marie Tran infuses Agent Lee with quiet determination. Leo Purman’s neon‑drenched tableaux and Ian Chang & Marco Carrión’s taut electronic score underline each twist. Yet around the midway point, tempered pacing invites reflection at the expense of tension, and Emily’s personal stakes could run deeper.

Standout sequences include the opening motel hustle—where Coco flips racist assumptions with sly confidence—and the final dinner in the family restaurant, lit by warm lantern glow as sibling bonds face reckoning. In spirit and style, Forge evokes slick art‑world thrillers like White Collar but trades blockbuster spectacle for human scale.

Art aficionados and fans of character‑driven schemes will find much to savor. Viewers drawn to Bollywood’s rich family dramas and global heist narratives will appreciate the film’s cross‑cultural textures. Rewarding for those who relish both intellectual depth and caper thrills, Forge earns three and a half stars.

Full Credits

Director: Jing Ai Ng

Writer: Jing Ai Ng

Producers: Jing Ai Ng, Liz Daering-Glass, Gabrielle Cordero, Damian Bao

Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Andie Ju, Brandon Soo Hoo, Edmund Donovan, Eva De Dominici, T.R. Knight, Jack Falahee, Sonya Walger

Director of Photography: Leo Purman

Editor: Briana Chmielewski

Composers: Ian Chang, Marco Carrión

The Review

Forge

7 Score

Forge delivers a compelling portrait of trust and deception that combines cultural depth with slick heist thrills. Andie Ju and Kelly Marie Tran anchor the story with vivid performances, while Leo Purman’s rich visuals and a pulse‑driven score heighten every turn. Though the middle stretches out, its emotional payoff in the final act and nuanced sibling bond leave a lasting impression.

PROS

  • Andie Ju and Kelly Marie Tran deliver engaging, layered performances
  • Leo Purman’s cinematography captures Miami’s duality of glamour and grit
  • Electronic score heightens suspense without overwhelming scenes
  • Themes of identity and authenticity resonate across cultures
  • Intimate focus on family stakes adds emotional weight

CONS

  • Mid‑film pacing occasionally drags
  • Emily Lee’s personal backstory feels underexplored
  • Limited high‑octane action may disappoint some thriller fans
  • Tonal shifts between caper humor and quiet drama can feel uneven

Review Breakdown

  • Overall 0
Tags: Andie JuBrandon Soo HooDamian BaoFeaturedForgeGabrielle CorderoJing Ai NgKelly Marie TranLiz Daering
Previous Post

American Sweatshop Review: Lili Reinhart’s Captivating Turn

Next Post

Alan Cumming’s Offhand Remark Fuels Avengers: Doomsday Speculation

Try AI Movie Recommender

Gazettely AI Movie Recommender

This Week's Top Reads

  • The Librarians: The Next Chapter

    The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Review – Bridging Eras with Spellbinding Charm

    26 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Death Valley Review: A Witty Welsh Wander into Cosy Crime

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement Lead Disney+’s New British Comedy ‘Alice & Steve’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cannes Film Festival 2025 — Complete Winners List

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nine Puzzles Season 1 Review: Puzzle Pieces, Pain, and Police Procedurals

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boglands Review: Shadows and Whispers in the Irish Mist

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • I, Jack Wright Review: A Dynasty in Decay

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Must Read Articles

Destination X Review
Entertainment

Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

6 hours ago
Earnhardt Review
Entertainment

Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

8 hours ago
The Ritual Review
Entertainment

The Ritual Review: An Unsettled Echo in a Somber Chamber

1 day ago
Dept. Q Review
Entertainment

Dept. Q Review: Edinburgh’s Gloom and a Detective’s Fractured Soul

1 day ago
And Just Like That... Season 3 Review
Entertainment

And Just Like That… Season 3 Review: A Stylish Step Forward, But Does It Go Far Enough?

1 day ago
Loading poll ...
Coming Soon
Who is the best director in the horror thriller genre?

Gazettely is your go-to destination for all things gaming, movies, and TV. With fresh reviews, trending articles, and editor picks, we help you stay informed and entertained.

© 2021-2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

What’s Inside

  • Movie & TV Reviews
  • Game Reviews
  • Featured Articles
  • Latest News
  • Editorial Picks

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About US
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Review Guidelines

Follow Us

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movies
  • Entertainment News
  • Movie and TV Reviews
  • TV Shows
  • Game News
  • Game Reviews
  • Contact Us

© 2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

Go to mobile version