Movie Critique Double Happiness

¶ … Double Happiness

Mina Shum's 1994 movie Double Happiness combines cultural and parental friction with a touching coming of age story. Jade Li (Sandra Oh) is a young Chinese-Canadian who struggles to distance herself from her father's traditional set of values without becoming totally ostracized like her brother, who was disowned by their overbearing parents. Jade's father expects a lot from her: in his eyes Jade should be the ideal Chinese daughter, obedient and malleable to his image of her. Instead, Jade's creative energy and vivacious spirit help her blend well into Canadian culture. Her desire to be an actress widens the gap between her and her father. Their already strained relationship threatens to fall apart completely when she falls in love with a Caucasian man. Her forbidden romance and her forbidden career ambitions force Jade to ultimately choose between her family's wishes and her own.

Mina Shum illustrates the father-daughter conflict through intense and well-written dialogue, making the story accessible to a wide audience. Although the characters may appear one-dimensional and stereotypical, the actors do a fine job of fleshing out their roles. Sandra Oh's performance lights up the screen; Stephen Chang effectively portrays the stern, stubborn father whose love for his daughter is obscured by his fierce clinging to tradition. Callum Keith Rennie plays Jade's boyfriend with an acute sensitivity to his role. The film is strongly character-driven, which may cause some audiences to yawn and others to heave a sigh of relief.