‘Forge’ Review: Jing Ai Ng Puts a Fresh Coat of Paint on a Satisfying Crime Caper

variety.com:

Stephen Saito In “Forge,” writer-director Jing Ai Ng never reveals the secret recipe for the lacquer that has made it possible for Raymond (Brandon Soo Hoo) and Coco Zhang (Andie Ju) to pass off their replicas of fine art as the real thing.

But the scientific elements involved are beside the point, for the second-generation Chinese American siblings know it’s confidence that will play the biggest role in convincing experts in the field that they’re in possession of legit paintings from local masters.

After all, they’ve spent years watching their parents struggle with that dynamic in a culture that wasn’t their own. Although Ng’s energetic debut feature has the expected crackerjack appeal of two underdogs attempting to outwit those with all the power, the real excitement comes from posing a more interesting version of the question of what is real.

It may only be a matter of time before Raymond and Coco are found out by the authorities, yet there’s no telling when or how they’ll feel like they’ve actually made it as part of the culture they were born into.