Two estranged sisters are forced to work together to win a quiz show in order to pay off their mother’s gambling debts. A film by Jessica Yu, starring Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Jon “Dumbfoundead” Park, and Will Ferrell.

In 1996, amidst an seemingly dysfunctional family, Anne Yum (Jodi Hou), a young Asian girl living with her older sister Jenny (Shirley Chen) and their parents, found solace and distraction in the trivia show “Can’t Stop the Quiz,” hosted by Terry Mcteer (Will Ferrell). The constant tension and friction between their parents, fueled by their mother’s gambling addiction, eventually culminated in their separation and her father’s departure.

Two decades later, Anne (Awkwafina) lives a solitary life with Linguini, a pug left behind by her older sister, who departed to chase her dreams of stardom. Their contact remains sporadic, only when her sister needs to borrow some money. Employed at an accounting services firm, Anne retains an unwavering fascination with the quiz show that has been her daily companion since childhood.

One day, Anne is informed by the staff at Sunnyvale Senior Housing that her mother has wandered off again. She immediately rushes to the facility, only to discover that her sister Jenny (Sandra Oh) has also been notified about the incident. They both learn that their mother left a note saying that she is planning to travel to Macau with her boyfriend Jeff, and Sunnyvale has decided to terminate the contract with their mother due to the repeated violations of the facility’s rules.

While staying at Anne’s house for a few days, because she has no place to go and is still waiting for a big cheque from an ongoing lawsuit, Jenny stealthy records Anne casually answering the quiz correctly while watching the quiz show. Jenny then uploads the video to social media, where it quickly goes viral. The quiz show staff see the video and are impressed with Anne’s knowledge and poise, so they invite her to audition for the show in Philadelphia. However, Anne is hesitant to accept the invitation, as she feels uncomfortable being in the spotlight.

The next day, as Anne exits her office, a man named Ken (Jon ‘Dumbfoundead’ Park) approaches her. He claims that Anne’s mother owes him a substantial sum of money, $80,000 to be precise, and has taken her beloved dog as collateral. Ken gives Anne a two-week ultimatum to settle her mother’s debt or she will never see her dog again. Anne turns to Jenny, who suggests that winning the quiz show could provide the financial means to resolve all her problems simultaneously.

QUIZ LADY embarks on a lighthearted road trip with two estranged sisters, offering a comedic journey of self-discovery and renewed sibling bonds. While the screenplay could have benefited from further refinement, the narrative’s bumpy journey is punctuated by multiple laugh-out-loud moments and a heartwarming conclusion, yet it falls short of leaving a lasting impression.

The film draws strength from Sandra Oh’s eccentric and unpredictable performance, a joy to witness every time. Awkwafina portrays a character who is almost one-dimensionally dull and bitter, a departure from her usual comedic repertoire. However, her performance serves the story’s purpose effectively.

QUIZ LADY premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2023. The film was released exclusively on Hulu as an original film on 3 November in the United States, and on Disney+ in other territories.