Search - A Great Wall on DVD

Funny, insightful, fully enjoyable

Bud William Feuless | Houston, TX United States | 10/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A Great Wall tells the story of a Chinese family living in America when the father, a first generation Chinese immigrant and computer specialist, decides to take his family home to China for a visit. What follows is a delightful study in cultural contrasts but, more importantly, a study in the special issues that 1st generation families face from both the perspective of the parents and the children. In the end, the movie still manages to be warm and light-hearted while still exposing the key issues in satyrical fashion. A really fun movie to watch over again. Highly recommended."

Cool Record of the Past

Bud William Feuless | 02/06/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like this film. Can't think of any others like it. Written, directed, and acted in by a Chinese-American immigrant, about relations between Americanized Chinese-Americans and Chinese folk in Beijing. The picture on the DVD looks great. In some ways it is more a document of the 80's than the current situation. Beijing of today is not like Beijing of 86 (I was there twice this year). Today, with a more open society and the internet, Chinese people are more knowledgable about US culture than they are portrayed in this film. (Can't say the reverse is true.) One criticism of the film is that it milks a lot of humor by portraying mainland Chinese society and people as quaintly backward (for example, the Chinese computer lab scene). I think that it is somewhat misguided to laugh at a poorer society just because they aren't as hip as our powerful, rich country. Still, I loved this film when I saw it in the 80's and the DVD is worth seeing or having."

A very nice movie about family

Carollyn Sutter | Everywhere Icango | 07/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this film in an LA theater when it first came out. It was gentle, charming, and about family and generations in a universal way but with Chinese faces, places and customs which made it interesting. It was a very nice way to spend a couple of hours and I recommend it highly."

A great look at cultural clashes and identity.......

D. Pawl | Seattle | 08/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A GREAT WALL is a great film, over twenty years later and is definitely worth watching. Director Peter Wang did a great job capturing the experiences of Chinese-American family, headed by their father (Peter Wang), a product of Silicone Valley, who, when passed up for a promotion believes that it is because he is Chinese. After that setback, he quits his job and uproots his family to go visit relatives in China. Yet, struggle exists everywhere (even if you try to relocate yourself to get perspective). Good lord knows the family experiences this in droves, due to cultural misunderstandings and language barriers. Yet, it is also a very important journey (filled with warm and happy moments, too). I enjoy that this film is so real and believeable. The actors are great and they truly work well together as an ensemble. It also provides insight for audience members unaware of the great divide between people that exists when some family relocates to the United States, while others remain in their native country. This is a great character study."