Worth the Wait: Review & Performance
- The new film "Worth the Wait," directed by Tom Lin and distributed by Tubi, attempts a complex balancing act with its ensemble cast of Asian-American actors, but ultimately...
- The film follows four couples: Kai (Ross Butler), a businessman from Malaysia, and Leah (Lana Condor), an emergency room nurse; high school sweethearts Blake (Ricky He) and Riley...
- Kai and Leah declare their love but never bridge the distance, despite Kai's wealth and travel opportunities.
‘worth the Wait’ Review: Ensemble Cast Struggles to Connect
Updated May 27, 2025
The new film “Worth the Wait,” directed by Tom Lin and distributed by Tubi, attempts a complex balancing act with its ensemble cast of Asian-American actors, but ultimately falters. The movie, produced by King Street pictures, juggles multiple storylines that never quite coalesce into a satisfying whole.
The film follows four couples: Kai (Ross Butler), a businessman from Malaysia, and Leah (Lana Condor), an emergency room nurse; high school sweethearts Blake (Ricky He) and Riley (Ali Funiko Whitney), who is hiding their relationship from her overprotective uncle (Sung Kang); Amanda (Elodie Yung) and Scott (Andrew Koji), former lovers now working together on a film; and Teresa (Karena Kar-yan Lam) and Nathan (Osric Chau), a married couple coping with the loss of their newborn, while also dealing with Teresa’s overstaying mother (Kheng hua Tan).
Each of these stories is riddled with issues. Kai and Leah declare their love but never bridge the distance, despite Kai’s wealth and travel opportunities. Riley’s fear of telling her guardian about Blake feels forced, given her age. Amanda is subjected to an unreasonable number of retakes by Scott during a rehearsal, an unlikely scenario given the protections afforded to movie stars.
the storyline of Teresa and Nathan, dealing with profound grief, stands out as the moast compelling. However, its tragic nature clashes with the lighter, romantic comedy tone of the other narratives, creating a jarring viewing experiance.
The film’s third act further exposes these shaky foundations. Kai’s pivotal moment hinges on a barely-mentioned video posted by Leah. blake’s solution to his problems involves finding a father figure, unrelated to his relationship with Riley. amanda’s stunt injury somehow provides clarity regarding her relationship with Scott.
Teresa’s resolution, a physical act that brings several cast members together, feels contrived. The film’s poster and title are equally perplexing, with some actors featured twice while others are omitted, and the title only applying to one of the couples.
What’s next
Ultimately, “Worth the Wait” struggles to deliver a cohesive and satisfying experience, with its ensemble cast and interwoven storylines failing to connect in a meaningful way.