I just rented this film from my local Blockbuster yesterday. I've viewed it twice so far. I've wanted to see this film for a long time, but it was always checked out.
Anywho, I've read this post and all of the replies. I felt compelled to add my "$1.95's" worth to this thread. (This might go a bit long, so please hear me out.)
As an Asian-American male (Japanese-American, actually), I really enjoyed this film a great deal. I thought that, for the most part, the performances were outstanding and very credible...with one exception.
Normally, like most red-blooded (Asian-American) males, find Kelly Hu to be almost Aphrodite-like. While she looked stunning as usual and her acting was wonderful, the one thing that I couldn't get over was her lack of authenticity. She kept slipping in and out of her accent, just like Kevin Costner in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." That really annoyed me. I expected more from her.
That's not to say that she didn't grasp her character. It's just that she demonstrated a limited acting range in this film. In the film "Fakin' da Funk," she was able to maintain a (stereotypical) Chinese accent thru-out her performance.
I think that the producers and directors were just way to enamored with the fact that they had this almost-legendary beauty on their film, they forgot that she couldn't maintain any authenticity with her accent.
Now, if Tamlyn Tomita wasn't so seasoned as an actress, she would've been just as good...AND she's great with accents!
Now that I've gotten that out of the way...
A lot of really great points have been brought up in this topic. It's very clear to me that a majority of you all have valid points.
Most Asian-Americans come from, what my late mother would quaintly call, a "village mentality." This means that their primary sphere of influence would be other Asian-Americans. They mainly socialized with other Asians. And, if you break it down even more, there would be the obvious sub-cultural demographics (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.).
This is only natural. It's just how things are within the Asian culture.
However, I grew up in a very unique environment, as compared to most Asian-Americans. I grew up in the American Military subculture.
My late father was a career US Marine. He met my late mother while he was stationed in Japan. However, my father was Nisei (2nd-generation Japanese-American) from Hawaii. He was fluent in most of the Asian languages, especially Japanese. However, he once told me that he had never intended on marrying an Asian, let alone Japanese, girl. He had aspirations, like Liam in the film, to be with a "Marilyn Monroe" type of girl (big round eyes, bigger breasts). When he met my mother, even though she was Japanese, she fit his criteria.
I can totally relate to a lot of what Liam goes thru in the film. Even though I may look Asian, I am thru-and-thru an "All-American" guy.
I've been romantically involved with women who aren't Asian at all. This is because my mother raised me to believe that, in her own words, "if Capt. Kirk in 'Star Trek' can be attracted to a green-skinned alien girl," then the ethnicity of the woman whom I'm with doesn't matter.
My younger brother, who's more "white-washed" than me, is married to a wonderful "Georgia Peach"/Southern Belle.
All I'm saying is that this film realistically explores the world view of the Asian-American male.
Now then, on to my next point...
I felt the that how all of the women in this film were treated, with the exception of Addy (the luminous Harden Panettiere), was disturbing and, well...chauvenstic. They were mainly portrayed as "disposable sex objects" for Liam to conquer, regardless of race/ethnicity.
I agree that Liam has a kind'a, as the commentary track says, a sort'a "Al Pancino-like" charisma and charm, but I mean c'mon! When was the last time you saw someone like Liam, who's smallish and dishovled, walk up to a woman with supermodel looks and wind up hooking up with her? Not once, but twice?! Sorry, not very realistic...
One final point that I'd like to address is the treatment of the Asian-American male in modern US Cinema. As a life-long student of film, I have noticed a few things.
Mainly, Asian-American males are pretty much invisible or persona non grata in the eyes of mainstream Hollywood. That is, unless you have any martial arts skill. I, for one, am sick and tired of how we Asian-American males are treated in US Cinema.
I mean, Hollywood doesn't seem to want to have Asian-American leading men. And, it's pretty much unfathomable for Hollywood to even consider an Asian-American male for a romantic leading role.
The last Asian-American actor who had the lead in a mainstream Hollywood film was Jason Scott Lee in "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story." His performance demonstrated the power & passion that we Asian-American males possess. However, as with the legend that he portrayed, it would seem that Hollywood is not ready or prepared for such things.
Just like any series of stereotypes, it's going to take an awfully long time for Hollywood to accept Asian-Americans as viable actors & actresses. Just look at how long it's taken for Hollywood to even begin to consider African-American and Latino actors & actresses as plausible leads.
It's going to significantly longer for Asian-Americans to gain that kind of acceptance simply because, as a culture, we are perceived as being passive. Only once we've raised our voices in protest and bring attention to ourselves will Hollywood eventually take notice.
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t-adorissio
16 years ago
To Topic starter: All races are always offended by hollywood movies. Some wayyyy more than asians.
To Macrosplus.
LOL!
We don't need to protest, we just need an attitude adjustment.
The whole acting industry, in Hollywood is like 70% white. 30 % minorities. and outta that minority, i would say barely 5% is asian.
With such a unpopulous asian acting demographic..its surprising that you can even find asian actors.
Truth is, alot of asians for the most part don't ever consider acting...they don't want to be performers, they like more academic pursuits.
Sorry for channeling the sterotype, but that is one sterotype based on a big truth.
Whos to blame? Non Westernized Asian parents. Any asian will know that parents from Asia are all about SCHOOL and Grades. Social skills, and being well adjusted doesn't mean anything. Which makes Good looking asians who can act, neglect their gift, and lose it at Grad school.
My mom is from asia, but she has VERY liberal thinking, and accepts western ideals to her parenting, which she has taken many attacks for by fellow asian colleagues, calling her a bad mother, low-class etc....& why??
Just because, my grades were not 90s, and i pursued a career in the arts and fitness industry.
I was always called a "whitewashed" asian by other asians just because i was very articulate, my english coloquialism was bang-on, did not excel in Academics, I obsessed over "american" sports, and i ventured into modelling. And my career choice was fitness trainer & actor.
To them, That is very uncharacteristic of an asian male, Who apparently should get top grades,and go into University and do business and enter corporate world.
Not for me.
I went into a Acting/Modelling prep Program, guess what?
25-30 people there...me and another guy were the only asians.Just 2 asians.
handful of blacks,.all the rest white.
And i was in Toronto...Asians are almost a majority in that city!!!!
So until asians start pursuing acting, the chances of more and more asian lead roles are going to remain nonexistant.
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