So I get that Asian-American actors need richer roles than just kicking some guy in a martial arts movie, but please don't tell me that this is the alternative. All the characters are stereotypical, flat, and undeveloped to the point of caricature. You've got the sixteen-year-old blonde, the cynical man who wants to "rediscover" himself, and the hot girl who provides the easy impetus to do it. Where is the heart in this movie? Where is the exploration of real issues? If Ken Leung was white, there is no question that most Asian-Americans, or Americans in general for that matter, would find his character deeply offensive. He comes to Shanghai commenting on its modernity and looking wide-eyed at all the bright lights like he expected to find two huts and a water buffalo. He's sleazy, he's in love with himself, and his "conversion" at the end is unconvincing. It's easy to go back to "rediscover your roots" when you have a gorgeous house with the best view in the city and a beautiful girl (portrayed by Kelly Hu, quite obviously not Chinese, let alone Shanghainese) who conveniently speaks English waiting for you. He doesn't make any real effort to learn Chinese and absorbs culture by hanging out in Karaoke bars and expensive restaurants. I mean, come on.
It's great to see an Asian guy who can finally get (lots of) girls in movies, that's for sure. But as an Asian-American woman from Shanghai, I found this movie egregiously awful. If you're looking for a quality Asian-American film, you can do better. I'm pretty sure that all the actors and filmmakers themselves can do better as well, since they are pretty talented individually, just apparently bad collectively.
I was really looking forward to this film and am sorry to say that I was sorely disappointed
It's great to see an Asian guy who can finally get (lots of) girls in movies, that's for sure. But as an Asian-American woman from Shanghai, I found this movie egregiously awful. If you're looking for a quality Asian-American film, you can do better. I'm pretty sure that all the actors and filmmakers themselves can do better as well, since they are pretty talented individually, just apparently bad collectively.
I was really looking forward to this film and am sorry to say that I was sorely disappointed