Pushing Hands (1991)
A tai chi master moves to America in this gentle and sentimental culture clash family dramedy
7.2
Movie
Taiwan
English, Mandarin
Comedy, Drama
1991
ANG LEE
Chit-Man Chan, Deb Snyder, Fanny De Luz
105 min
TLDR
This film made me miss my grandparents.
What it's about
Coming from Beijing, elderly tai chi master Chu moves in with his son Alex and his family. Chu immediately butts heads with his writer daughter-in-law Martha, due to the language barrier and her being unable to focus on her work while he’s at home. Because of this, Chu decides to teach tai chi at a local school, unexpectedly making a new connection and finding his way in the big city.
The take
After a long life lived in a home one chose, it can be hard to uproot your entire life, especially in a country that seems diametrically opposed in manners and values. Before his American produced hits like Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi, Ang Lee made his debut through Pushing Hands, a film entirely shot in America but produced from Taiwan, exploring from the Chinese perspective the generational conflict between Asian immigrants and the mainlander parents that they brought to have a good life. It’s humorous at certain moments, with the steady demeanor of Chu contrasted to everyone around him, but Pushing Hands stems from the understanding of someone who’s directly lived through it, unfolding into a thoughtful, sentimental drama that quickly established Lee’s directorial voice.
What stands out
Sihung Lung might actually be the coolest grandpa ever depicted on screen. May he rest in peace.
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