Directed by Wayne Wang • 1989 • United States
Starring Cora Miao, Russell Wong, Victor Wong
An American-born husband and his Chinese-born wife cope with cultural confusion in Wayne Wang’s charming, warmhearted adaptation of the landmark novel by Louis Chu. It’s 1949 in New York City’s Chinatown and young Ben Loy (Russell Wong), fresh out of the service, has his whole life spread out before him—including a job, an apartment, and a marriage arranged by his father (Victor Wong) to the beautiful Mei Oi (Cora Miao). But as the high expectations of his family and community—particularly the pressure to produce children—begin to take a toll on the marriage, it’s up to Ben to separate his dreams from his father’s.
Up Next in Asian American ’80s
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Community Plot
Directed by J. T. Takagi • 1984 • United States
Four neighbors form an uneasy alliance after a case worker from family court is accidentally killed in their building. With a gutsy sense of humor, this satiric comedy captures the chaos and cultural diversity of New York’s Lower East Side.
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Pak Bueng on Fire
Directed by Supachai Surongsain • 1987 • United States
Two young Thai men struggle to survive in Los Angeles.
