MovieChat Forums > The Joy Luck Club (1993) Discussion > Any men inspired?

Any men inspired?

posted 16 years ago by avia2
7 replies | jump to latest

It might sound weird, but I felt that as a guy with an Asian dad, I felt this movie to be equally touching.

Having grown up in the West myself, with a dad from the East, I found the movie really sad yet realistic. It's not every time I've watched a film that made me so emotional.

Although it's about mother-daughter, I think the movie is more about culture than gender, because you can see the same kind of problems in father-son relationships where the son is Western and dad is Asian.
I'm not criticizing all Asians, but I think it's common for Asian parents to SHOW less approval to their children than Western parents, even if they love them the same. The movie is amazing for showing that so well.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cdjunkee-1 15 years ago

Well I'm not Asian. I'm only 25 but I found this movie to be very touching. just because I'm not an Asian female doesn't mean there wasn't alot to take away from the film.

I read the book in high school for English class and liked it. I just bought it from Barnes & Noble on dvd for $9.00. I'm kind of embarassed to say there were a few parts that made me cry. especially the end. good movie!

~I love the rhythmn it is my methoood!~

[–] BobStage 15 years ago

The reason this isn't limited to Chinese is the same reason that "Fiddler on the Roof" isn't limited to Jews. The issues talked about are universal.

[–] cdz6969 15 years ago

Yes it's universal, no matter what country, it can be related to traditional old world parents to how their Americanized kids view them and vice versa.

Each of the parent and child relationship stories had the same result, which was the parent identified what the child was going through and was able to help them because they experienced pain themselves in the past.

This is for Allah... and it's going way out there sucka...

[–] sockscats 15 years ago

Yes the movie is absolutely universal and that is what is wrong with the perception of this film. This is a great film about family and friendship and relationships and the fact that the characters happen to be Chinese or Chinese American is a minor thing. Anyone can identify with some of the issues in this film.

This is not a so called ethnic film and race is not significant here.

[–] ingemund 14 years ago

I read the book way before I saw the movie but I found the movie too sentimental for my taste. I think the book is much less so. Much less hugging and crying at the same time. The movie is, though, gorgeous to look at and I like how the moviemakers handled the "handing over her tiger spirit" scene, which was not really explicated in the book... I saw that scene and went, "Oh, THAT'S what she meant at the end of that chapter."

I like the story as a story. I don't "identify" with it or anything. The only mother I identified mine with in a movie is Sarah Conner.

[–] lemystere 11 years ago

Like others have posted, the movie and novel are universal. I could relate to many of the issues posed by the film. I'm an African-American woman, BTW.

SN: this is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.