The adage of "Great things come in small packages" aptly applies to PUSHING HANDS/TUI SHOU. The film deftly tells its story with charm, humor and grace. A son's elderly father is the newest part of the family, and troubles therein lie. Essentially, it's a story of one family, yet could easily fit into many households. So many topics are breached, under the gentle, loving eye of the director (Ang Lee). The leads, the venerable Sihung Lung, Deb Snyder and Bo Z. Wang, do a credible job bringing this story to life. Recommended.
19 Reviews
Searching for a sense of belonging
dy15822 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
It has been a month since Beijing-born Tai Chi master Chu has been living in the suburbs of New York City. But that has caused inconvenience to his American daughter-in-law Martha, who is a writer herself. She is having writer's block while working on her second novel, with the presence of her father-in-law doing his tai chi nearby. She had initially tried to tolerate his presence despite the language barrier between them, but it never stopped her on wanting to find a new home for the family which also includes her Chinese-born husband Alex and son Jeremy, but without the presence of her father-in-law.
Chu would come to teach tai chi at a local community centre where he would also meet the cooking teacher Mrs. Chen who specialises in the teaching of making dumplings. There was the skirmishes as the tai chi class has to share their room with the cooking class as the cooking class had often being interrupted by what was going on nearby where one day, one of the students from Chu's tai chi class would knock over a plate of dumplings waiting to be steamed. Chu would come to feel bad about it, as he sets out to find a way to compensate Mrs. Chen. But before that, he would learn from her as they were having the remaining dumplings that she had been living in the United States with her daughter and her family for a year after her second husband has died not long after escaping China to Taiwan from the Cultural Revolution.
But back home, the contrasting lifestyles and habits between Chu and Martha has come to put Alex on the spot. For Alex in between those times and beyond, it was relooking into his own family with the presence of his elderly father in the house who had briefly lost his way when having a walk in the street and how he himself would come to settle in the United States.
As Chu would come to get along well with Mrs. Chen where the two would come to find themselves being stuck in the similar predicament over the lives their respective children have to come to get used to in the United States, there would be two defining moments for Chu and his family which would shape how Chu come to see his new life in the United States. Trying to tend to Martha who was having stomach pains before she would be admitted to the hospital for a few days and the decision to move out of his own accord before something happens to him at the Chinese restaurant where he worked which would alarm Alex and Martha.
The cultural and lifestyle differences references in the film are there from almost the start, as exemplified in Chu and Martha. Chu is trying to cling on what he has always know before he left China to join his now-grown up son Alex in the United States through especially the tai chi he practices and the American daughter-in-law Martha who came from a very different set of upbringing, with both trying to get Alex's attention at the same time who tries to blend in both his American way of life while remembering the presence of his father in the house.
There are the comical moments and the tender ones as well, especially on Chu telling Alex of what really happened to the family in Beijing at the height of the Cultural Revolution when Alex would be sent to live in the United States all on his own. It is a film which makes one think especially for those who are straddling in between two different cultures on when is the time to let go and the time to compromise, where the end result for either scenario is something both parties have to come to accept. Anyone who has been through what the Alex in the film has to go through will know the struggles of trying to bridge the past and the present together.
Chu would come to teach tai chi at a local community centre where he would also meet the cooking teacher Mrs. Chen who specialises in the teaching of making dumplings. There was the skirmishes as the tai chi class has to share their room with the cooking class as the cooking class had often being interrupted by what was going on nearby where one day, one of the students from Chu's tai chi class would knock over a plate of dumplings waiting to be steamed. Chu would come to feel bad about it, as he sets out to find a way to compensate Mrs. Chen. But before that, he would learn from her as they were having the remaining dumplings that she had been living in the United States with her daughter and her family for a year after her second husband has died not long after escaping China to Taiwan from the Cultural Revolution.
But back home, the contrasting lifestyles and habits between Chu and Martha has come to put Alex on the spot. For Alex in between those times and beyond, it was relooking into his own family with the presence of his elderly father in the house who had briefly lost his way when having a walk in the street and how he himself would come to settle in the United States.
As Chu would come to get along well with Mrs. Chen where the two would come to find themselves being stuck in the similar predicament over the lives their respective children have to come to get used to in the United States, there would be two defining moments for Chu and his family which would shape how Chu come to see his new life in the United States. Trying to tend to Martha who was having stomach pains before she would be admitted to the hospital for a few days and the decision to move out of his own accord before something happens to him at the Chinese restaurant where he worked which would alarm Alex and Martha.
The cultural and lifestyle differences references in the film are there from almost the start, as exemplified in Chu and Martha. Chu is trying to cling on what he has always know before he left China to join his now-grown up son Alex in the United States through especially the tai chi he practices and the American daughter-in-law Martha who came from a very different set of upbringing, with both trying to get Alex's attention at the same time who tries to blend in both his American way of life while remembering the presence of his father in the house.
There are the comical moments and the tender ones as well, especially on Chu telling Alex of what really happened to the family in Beijing at the height of the Cultural Revolution when Alex would be sent to live in the United States all on his own. It is a film which makes one think especially for those who are straddling in between two different cultures on when is the time to let go and the time to compromise, where the end result for either scenario is something both parties have to come to accept. Anyone who has been through what the Alex in the film has to go through will know the struggles of trying to bridge the past and the present together.
Avoiding sentimentality
charlesem10 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I admire Ang Lee's Pushing Hands because it takes its story up to a point where a more conventional film would have found an easy resolution to the plot, and then it doesn't go there. Mr. Chu (Sihung Lung), an elderly tai chi instructor, has come to America to live with Alex (Bozhao Wang) and Martha (Deb Snyder), his son and daughter-in-law. Mr. Chu speaks no English and Martha speaks no Mandarin, and when they're left alone together during the day, tensions flare. She's trying to write a novel - her first has just been published - but his presence in the small suburban house proves a constant distraction, a irritant that causes tension not only between Martha and her father-in-law, but also between husband and wife. Mr. Chu teaches tai chi at a local community center, where he makes friends with Mrs. Chen (Lai Wang), an elderly widow who likewise lives with her Americanized children. When things reach an explosive point at home, Alex decides to try making a match between his father and Mrs. Chen. Things seem to be going well in that direction: Both families go on a picnic together, and Mr. Chu uses some of his tai chi training to help Mrs. Chen with a pain she has in her shoulder. But just as we can see the conventional happy ending on the horizon, Mrs. Chen rebels against the matchmaking, expressing her own bitterness at being manipulated by others. This avoidance of sentimentality is what strengthens Lee's film, his first. It's an enormously likable movie, with a couple of flaws: Martha is written and played with more shrill edginess than is entirely credible. Couldn't an obviously intelligent woman married to a man who speaks Mandarin and whose small son is learning it have managed to learn at least a few phrases to communicate with her father-in-law? And Alex's destructive rage - he destroys the kitchen when the tensions get too high - feels a bit over the top.
Sometimes small productions can give you quite a treat.
cosmo_kramer-325 October 2004
Sihung Lung, the actor who played Master Chu, the aging tai chi master, gave a very convincing and sincere performance in this film. It was no wonder that he won the Golden Horse (Taiwan's equivalent for the Oscars) for Best Actor in this film. His performance was extremely touching, as tears jerked into my eyes as I see an aging and traditional Chinese father trying to get along with his westernized family while also trying to adjust to life in a new place and culture. The film encourages people, especially new immigrants, to emphasize and put themselves in their parents' shoes. Try to understand how difficult it is for them to come and settle in a new place and try not to push them away. Be patient with them, take a step back and everything may be better.
The movie title, "Pushing Hands", is very appropriate, as this is the term for an exercise in tai chi in which a person achieves balance by giving up balance. In this non-aggressive exercise between 2 people, a person offers no resistance at all to the pressure or push that the other person is exerting and keeps borrowing this strength until they feel they have fused into one and thus have achieved harmony. This was what Master Chu did. Although his daughter-in-law kept misunderstanding him, causing much discontent and eventually got his son to try to sent him away, he offered no resentment or a temper tantrum. He simply walked away gracefully. This action caused his son to appreciate him and remember why he got his father to live together in the first place in a tear jerking scene and finally they worked out a solution. They decided to give each other space by living separately instead of pushing each other away. In the end everyone was much happier, as even the daughter-in-law learned to accept the father, symbolized by her decorating the guest room for him and asking the question if he would ever visit. The father achieved the balance that he seek in Tai-Chi.
Ang Li is simply amazing and sensational. He did what he could with the limited budget and created a very warm and tear jerking film. Although this film was not the highest quality (the version I saw was very unclear and skips sometimes) and it could feel slow at times, especially the beginning sequence, the film was a great work in directing. The film picked up its pace after the slow beginning without any big fighting scenes or explosions and never felt boring afterwards. Also, from the beginning sequence, where he was able to show the dissension and gap between the daughter-in-law and the father by using just different scenes and visuals, to scenes throughout the film where he used lighting and different camera angles to show the internal pain and sadness that the father experience, it was, simply put, a great piece of art considering the budget. It showcased the talent of Li and gave the audience a glimpse of the man who would bring us the memorable Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The movie title, "Pushing Hands", is very appropriate, as this is the term for an exercise in tai chi in which a person achieves balance by giving up balance. In this non-aggressive exercise between 2 people, a person offers no resistance at all to the pressure or push that the other person is exerting and keeps borrowing this strength until they feel they have fused into one and thus have achieved harmony. This was what Master Chu did. Although his daughter-in-law kept misunderstanding him, causing much discontent and eventually got his son to try to sent him away, he offered no resentment or a temper tantrum. He simply walked away gracefully. This action caused his son to appreciate him and remember why he got his father to live together in the first place in a tear jerking scene and finally they worked out a solution. They decided to give each other space by living separately instead of pushing each other away. In the end everyone was much happier, as even the daughter-in-law learned to accept the father, symbolized by her decorating the guest room for him and asking the question if he would ever visit. The father achieved the balance that he seek in Tai-Chi.
Ang Li is simply amazing and sensational. He did what he could with the limited budget and created a very warm and tear jerking film. Although this film was not the highest quality (the version I saw was very unclear and skips sometimes) and it could feel slow at times, especially the beginning sequence, the film was a great work in directing. The film picked up its pace after the slow beginning without any big fighting scenes or explosions and never felt boring afterwards. Also, from the beginning sequence, where he was able to show the dissension and gap between the daughter-in-law and the father by using just different scenes and visuals, to scenes throughout the film where he used lighting and different camera angles to show the internal pain and sadness that the father experience, it was, simply put, a great piece of art considering the budget. It showcased the talent of Li and gave the audience a glimpse of the man who would bring us the memorable Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Who is the promoter of fate?
l-0725630 April 2019
When I was in class that day, I asked the students what did the "pushing hand" say? Almost all of them, including those who haven't seen "Pushing Hands", answer the collision between Chinese and Western cultures, so I wonder why it is so unified. After reading Baidu Encyclopedia, I understand! What is the "homesickness" is indeed the standard of the central idea, but there is no performance in the movie, and it is not allowed to pay for the payment.
Inserting a digression, about the very interesting thing about this film, on the day of the release of "Pusher", the box office was flat. On the same day, I won nine nominations at the Golden Horse Award, and after winning the best actor, supporting actress and special prize, the box office immediately after the next day. Big rise. It seems that we have to hear about it, only to know it. After reading the comments, we know what the movie is about?
"Pushing Hands" Virgo is often the most like the author himself, so "Pushing Hands" is very good, and the sharp parts are hidden under the gentle and popular narrative.
The whole film is staring at Lao Zhu alone, so look at "Pushing Hands" and see Lao Zhu.
Taijiquan Professor Zhuo-Taiji Pusher, in the words of Lao Zhu in the film, is: We practice the inner family, pay attention to refining the spirit, practicing the spirit, and waiting for the level of refining the spirit, it is very It's hard to practice again.
Lao Zhu is an old man who admits to lose.
I practiced pushing my hand to teach Lao Zhu at this level, but I feel that life has become utterly weak.
The loneliness and emptiness faced after retirement were all due to the reason that the son came to the United States, and the son married the wife of the foreign woman. All the pressure was passed on to his son and he could see it in the next minute.
So Lao Zhu did not accept his life and wanted to fight.
Teaching Tai Chi in Chinatown, the action after meeting Chinese Mrs. Chen is completely like a boy in first love.
Later, after the hope was shattered, Lao Zhu still refused to admit defeat and left home!
This "jailbreak" failed again. In the face of the humiliation of the restaurant owner, Lao Zhu's bloody Fang's defeat of the "enemy" still lost his cultivation.
Better than the Joy Luck Club
Matador19 February 2001
Pushing Hands is Ang Lee's beautiful film about an elderly Chinese man transplanted into his son's American home. While most films about this subject, which for some reason critics like to call "East meets West", hyperbolize the struggles that immigrant Chinese must face, Pushing Hands tends to focus on minutia instead. For example, the elderly grandfather does not know that tin foil cannot be put into the microwave, which leads to a scolding by his caucasian daughter-in-law. All the conflict in the film is grounded in the real world, as opposed to some very abstract 'generational conflict'. Because of this I found this film to be much more rewarding than most other films about Asian-Americans. A must-see for Chinese-Americans and Caucasians alike. Personally, I'd like to watch it with my Chinese grandparents.
Listen for James Schamus's cameo as the voice on the answering machine at the beginning of the film.
Listen for James Schamus's cameo as the voice on the answering machine at the beginning of the film.
A good debut for Ang Lee
Jeremy_Urquhart3 October 2022
I do really love how when it comes to Ang Lee, there are no two films he's made that feel completely similar. He's up there with Spielberg when it comes to covering a wide variety of genres and tones, and maybe slightly more consistent, too. Pushing Hands was his debut, and while it reminded me a little of Eat Drink Man Woman in parts, it was still pretty different overall, in terms of its story and how it wasn't afraid to present a slightly heightened reality at times, too.
This does mean it's not as well balanced as Lee's 1994 film (and it doesn't hit as hard emotionally, either), but it does stand as a strong debut, and a film I mostly enjoyed quite a bit. It's a tiny bit rough around the edges, but only when you compare it to what Ang Lee was capable of doing just a few years later. Considering he was starting out here, it's a very confident and well-made debut.
Not all the humour hits, and some scenes end a bit abruptly. And as mentioned, the detours it almost takes into becoming a martial arts movie are unexpected (but will probably end up being one of the most memorable things about it). At its core though, it's a movie about family drama and the difficulties of growing old, and I think when it focuses on those things, it's quite effective. Lee's an empathetic filmmaker, and you always feel something for his main characters, and even in his debut, that's no exception.
While it's not one of his best films, I think it's still pretty easy to recommend and enjoy. I look forward to watching The Wedding Banquet soon, as I think that was his second film, and I've heard the general consensus is it's almost as good as the excellent Eat Drink Man Woman.
This does mean it's not as well balanced as Lee's 1994 film (and it doesn't hit as hard emotionally, either), but it does stand as a strong debut, and a film I mostly enjoyed quite a bit. It's a tiny bit rough around the edges, but only when you compare it to what Ang Lee was capable of doing just a few years later. Considering he was starting out here, it's a very confident and well-made debut.
Not all the humour hits, and some scenes end a bit abruptly. And as mentioned, the detours it almost takes into becoming a martial arts movie are unexpected (but will probably end up being one of the most memorable things about it). At its core though, it's a movie about family drama and the difficulties of growing old, and I think when it focuses on those things, it's quite effective. Lee's an empathetic filmmaker, and you always feel something for his main characters, and even in his debut, that's no exception.
While it's not one of his best films, I think it's still pretty easy to recommend and enjoy. I look forward to watching The Wedding Banquet soon, as I think that was his second film, and I've heard the general consensus is it's almost as good as the excellent Eat Drink Man Woman.
This film demonstrates that an important issue, the aging of one's parents, can be blended with comedy and kung-fu successfully!
bagua-214 April 2001
Rarely have I seen the highest level of martial arts, internal kung-fu, portrayed in it's proper perspective. It is hard these days for people to realize that 'soft' style kung-fu will enable an old man to defeat many young men without much effort. With all the silly 'wire-fu' out there in the movies most people have no idea that there is a subtle way to defeat strength through 'chi energy' power lines.
There is no question that Ang Lee has the ability to put kung-fu back at the top of the martial art world. Through his well thought out story line and his perfect blend of drama and comedy he has taken a deep look at the struggle that exists today for thousands of people as they care for their elderly parents. This is truly a movie that can bond many generations.
There is no question that Ang Lee has the ability to put kung-fu back at the top of the martial art world. Through his well thought out story line and his perfect blend of drama and comedy he has taken a deep look at the struggle that exists today for thousands of people as they care for their elderly parents. This is truly a movie that can bond many generations.
Lee's debut is competent but not good. The touching intergenerational - cross cultural story is marred by an uneven script, poor acting and shoddy production
canoarmavirumque11 December 2005
Ang Lee's Pushing Hands is not a good movie. It offers a sometimes touching, sometimes humorous story about a retired Tai Chi master who comes to America from China to live with his son, his son's wife and their young boy. To its credit, the film serves up inter-generational, cross cultural tensions in a way that avoids seeming too cliché and too trite. Old people and young people are different. Dealing with the difference can be hard. This is the film's plain truth. There's nothing wrong with plain truth, and in some instances it can be refreshing.
Unfortunately, the acting, the aimless direction, glaring production mistakes and - most importantly - an uneven screenplay prevent this truth from coming forward with the grace that much of the filmed Tai Chi has. Regarding the performances, all but the Tai Chi master, played by Shihung Lung, are fairly stiff. It's fortunate that the exception is the main character but lacking a strong supporting cast, the film is left uneven. The direction begins interestingly, with shots through windows becoming an early motif, but soon becomes pedestrian; any suggested meaning from interesting framing or mise en scene are lost. The glaring production problem was that on three occasions an overhead microphone was visible in the shots. I'm sure there's an old Chines proverb about this.
But the main problem is that one character receives unsympathetic treatment by Lee's screenplay and direction: Martha, the white daughter-in-law to the Tai Chi master. She is written as a self-absorbed and even vicious woman. She's a writer who is shot pouting because she has to share her home with a kind hearted old man. As he seeks inner peace through martial arts, she only sees him as a disturbance to her peaceful home. Characters needn't be sympathetic, but it makes the movie too simple, as if were she nicer, the generational/cultural tensions would disappear.
Unfortunately, the acting, the aimless direction, glaring production mistakes and - most importantly - an uneven screenplay prevent this truth from coming forward with the grace that much of the filmed Tai Chi has. Regarding the performances, all but the Tai Chi master, played by Shihung Lung, are fairly stiff. It's fortunate that the exception is the main character but lacking a strong supporting cast, the film is left uneven. The direction begins interestingly, with shots through windows becoming an early motif, but soon becomes pedestrian; any suggested meaning from interesting framing or mise en scene are lost. The glaring production problem was that on three occasions an overhead microphone was visible in the shots. I'm sure there's an old Chines proverb about this.
But the main problem is that one character receives unsympathetic treatment by Lee's screenplay and direction: Martha, the white daughter-in-law to the Tai Chi master. She is written as a self-absorbed and even vicious woman. She's a writer who is shot pouting because she has to share her home with a kind hearted old man. As he seeks inner peace through martial arts, she only sees him as a disturbance to her peaceful home. Characters needn't be sympathetic, but it makes the movie too simple, as if were she nicer, the generational/cultural tensions would disappear.
the shift within a man's life
et_vous200015 December 2006
Tuei Sho(Pushing Hands) is Ang Lee's first film after graduation, and the first episode of his "Triad of Father." In spite of its status as an early work, it manifests subtlety, elegance and articulation in narration style constantly seen in his latter works. Everyone, whether seen this film or not, can tell that it's about the bondage and gap of affection, relation and interaction within family, but it's more than that. It also tells about culture, not only the apparent differentiation, but the shift within a man's life, the time and the whole modern history of China. If you understand Chinese(language, culture and history), it is delicately overwhelming. If not, it's still amiable and a bit exotic. Tuei Sho is so worth viewing and contemplating again and again.
Pushing hands
Genkinchan18 May 2022
This is supposedly directorial debut of Ang Lee the Oscar winning director
Although dated and the conversation were a bit slow and boring but we understand the moral and responsibility that the director trying to project in the movie.. it was sad that the father does not feel belonged and became a liability to his son Alex.. it is totally relatable in our Asian community that is commonly happening even in this ages or even worse
The movie have a simple plot yet the meaning is so deep and resonate among us.. I especially like the way it ends that the father found a way that can be mutually beneficial to his son and to him..
The movie touches not only the relationship within the family yet also about newly immigrant to USA and how the father cope and in denial and later acceptance towards the end flourishes.
Lang Hsiong deserves the best golden horse actor award for his portrayal of the father.
Although dated and the conversation were a bit slow and boring but we understand the moral and responsibility that the director trying to project in the movie.. it was sad that the father does not feel belonged and became a liability to his son Alex.. it is totally relatable in our Asian community that is commonly happening even in this ages or even worse
The movie have a simple plot yet the meaning is so deep and resonate among us.. I especially like the way it ends that the father found a way that can be mutually beneficial to his son and to him..
The movie touches not only the relationship within the family yet also about newly immigrant to USA and how the father cope and in denial and later acceptance towards the end flourishes.
Lang Hsiong deserves the best golden horse actor award for his portrayal of the father.
Ang Lee directs and writes
sjanders-864309 February 2021
This is Lung's greatest role of father coming to America to stay with his son. He is a Tai Chi expert and teaches a class. He meets a lady friend his age and they get to gether. Finally. The son and awful American wife do not welcome him correctly. He moves to his own place so his son can have a happy marriage.
This is a brilliant script that is interesting on many level. Lung is a great character and his complex personality unfolds for us to love and admire. Tai Chi is a magnificent art and Lung shares its grace with us. Not to be missed.
Time
e-167744 December 2023
Ang Lee's first feature film, compared to "Eat Drink Man Woman," is a bit too neat and plain, but it still possesses the characteristic traits of Lee's later films - quiet and plain, yet captivating. It's truly miraculous that if this son were placed in another director's film, he would undoubtedly be detested, yet under Lee's direction, he evokes a sense of weakness without crossing into detestable territory. "The sun is shining, and I just want to stand here for a while. After all, no one is waiting for me. I'll forget about it after standing here for a while." This reminds me of my grandmother, who moved from her hometown to the city and struggled to adapt. Two weeks later, she insisted on going back. During most of the daytime, she would just sit on the balcony, soaking up the sun. I wonder what she was thinking at that time. Initially, I thought it was about cultural barriers, but later I realized it was much sadder. Cultural barriers can be temporarily overlooked through the efforts of both sides, but time and aging are forces that cannot be resisted.
Before there was Broke Back Mtn or Crouching Tiger, Ang Lee had a few things to learn
ShippedCutOut25 December 2005
I have to disagree with many of those who gave this film anything above a 5. Granted it was directed by Ang Lee in 1992, or long before The Hulk or Broke Back Mountain. But still, it looks too much like an earnest but not-too-skillful novice effort.
The story does center around the old man newly arrived to Westchester after more than 70 years in China, taken in by his loving son and his almost stereotypical Anglo housewife (Martha), complete with her curly hair, her vegetarianism, her obsessive concern about her weight, her poor parenting skills, her disinterest in sex, her... Lots of clichés on the feminine side, although to his credit, Lee does well with his main character-- except for making him a mysterious Kung Fu master (in this case Tai Chi).
The opening scene seems interminable, as we watch Martha struggle at her (now seemingly primitive) computer, while Grand Father slowly does his Tai Chi exercises in an adjacent room. He knows no English, she knows no Chinese, so there is no dialog. We wonder, what's happening, where is this film going? Finally, slowly, the story unfolds, and we learn details about their respective lives.
But this film may also set some sort of record for Most Visible Boom Mic. I swear it makes more on screen appearances than the couple's son (which is fortunate, because this kid is one of the worst child actors in memory).
Yes, this is a story of generations, cultures, ambitions, etc.-- but there are many, better examples. Some scenes show promise, but as a whole, this film does not warrant more than a 5.
The story does center around the old man newly arrived to Westchester after more than 70 years in China, taken in by his loving son and his almost stereotypical Anglo housewife (Martha), complete with her curly hair, her vegetarianism, her obsessive concern about her weight, her poor parenting skills, her disinterest in sex, her... Lots of clichés on the feminine side, although to his credit, Lee does well with his main character-- except for making him a mysterious Kung Fu master (in this case Tai Chi).
The opening scene seems interminable, as we watch Martha struggle at her (now seemingly primitive) computer, while Grand Father slowly does his Tai Chi exercises in an adjacent room. He knows no English, she knows no Chinese, so there is no dialog. We wonder, what's happening, where is this film going? Finally, slowly, the story unfolds, and we learn details about their respective lives.
But this film may also set some sort of record for Most Visible Boom Mic. I swear it makes more on screen appearances than the couple's son (which is fortunate, because this kid is one of the worst child actors in memory).
Yes, this is a story of generations, cultures, ambitions, etc.-- but there are many, better examples. Some scenes show promise, but as a whole, this film does not warrant more than a 5.
Internal arts, lonely souls pushing hands
chaos-rampant28 February 2013
'Pushing hands' refers to an exercise in tai chi where lightly touching each other, two practitioners learn to yield to and redirect a shared flow of energy. It's actually at the core of tai chi, a Chinese form of boxing built around Taoist principles of interconnected balance of opposites and emptiness in form.
Nearly impossible to make sense of in film, as is meditation and other internal arts of the East, because simply showing it, or worse in the light of mystical ability, obscures what it really is about. Ang Lee however tries in his first film, with mixed results.
Modeled to the story of an aging tai chi master who comes to America to stay with his son's family, there is what you'd expect from a film where East comes West; contrasts between two opposite ways of life, tradition versus modernity, love versus duty.
All that is pretty ordinary, and some obvious drama and questionable acting bring it further down. To be fair, for a low-budget student film, Lee shows considerable talent with a camera and has come far on this strength. All told, I'd rather celebrate his success story than Tarantino's. But let's see something more interesting from the Chinese perspective.
The overall point is finding a center of stillness in imbalanced life that is constantly in motion; in the film we see this in the old master's quest for a home and new life in a new country, somewhere to grow roots. This is the tao of balancing in the flow.
Life back in China isn't presented as ideal, we find that the old man has been persecuted all his life, and that his tai chi and calligraphy are the still spot he cultivates, his center in a moving universe of suffering. See how a phone ringing startles him from meditation, that is life that goes on.
In line with tai chi principles, all this means 'hard' in several moments of real life conflict, versus 'soft' in inwards reflection. There is a love interest in Mrs. Chen (soft, as feminine yin to his yang) who's in a similar situation as the old man and much gentle pushing and yielding to be close to her.
So how beautiful, if we could have the film as cinematic 'pushing hands' between lonely souls? And carry the flow from heavy drama to soft inner life, to what these people do to cool and express their ardor, she in her cooking, he in his calligraphy. Kar Wai makes it work, not quite so here.
Why is that? There's a scene of the old man watching videotapes of old Chinese kung fu movies, ridiculous from his perspective. The film is meant to offer next to other things a realistic depiction of his arts, fighting or otherwise, tied to realistic human connection as both soft.
But there are scenes like with the fat boy or in the restaurant, that in the end are as ridiculous as those movies, suddenly jerking us to fiction, obscuring what is vital in his art; and mirroring that, there's a sense of inflated drama in emotional moments. But Lee is too talented for us to be able to easily discard the whole work.
The Western perspective, introduced later in the film by the son, is that his father's internal arts may be his way of shutting off the outside world, keeping from being touched perhaps related to the tragic loss of his wife. All through the film, we see that he likes Mrs. Chen but is reluctant to be close to her.
Now watch again the last scene where he teaches tai chi in the Chinese community center, now the 'hero of Chinatown'. Watch how we first see him doing the motions, then with a soft flow of the camera materializes behind him as though out of thin air an entire class of students. And who enters as if by chance? Mrs. Chen.
Now 'soft' is what we see of his heart, 'hard' what we imagine as taking place in his head.
See how lightly the real and unreal touch, how smooth the parallel flow. So you can afford to miss the rest but not this last moment, it's expertly done and too delicious to ignore.
Nearly impossible to make sense of in film, as is meditation and other internal arts of the East, because simply showing it, or worse in the light of mystical ability, obscures what it really is about. Ang Lee however tries in his first film, with mixed results.
Modeled to the story of an aging tai chi master who comes to America to stay with his son's family, there is what you'd expect from a film where East comes West; contrasts between two opposite ways of life, tradition versus modernity, love versus duty.
All that is pretty ordinary, and some obvious drama and questionable acting bring it further down. To be fair, for a low-budget student film, Lee shows considerable talent with a camera and has come far on this strength. All told, I'd rather celebrate his success story than Tarantino's. But let's see something more interesting from the Chinese perspective.
The overall point is finding a center of stillness in imbalanced life that is constantly in motion; in the film we see this in the old master's quest for a home and new life in a new country, somewhere to grow roots. This is the tao of balancing in the flow.
Life back in China isn't presented as ideal, we find that the old man has been persecuted all his life, and that his tai chi and calligraphy are the still spot he cultivates, his center in a moving universe of suffering. See how a phone ringing startles him from meditation, that is life that goes on.
In line with tai chi principles, all this means 'hard' in several moments of real life conflict, versus 'soft' in inwards reflection. There is a love interest in Mrs. Chen (soft, as feminine yin to his yang) who's in a similar situation as the old man and much gentle pushing and yielding to be close to her.
So how beautiful, if we could have the film as cinematic 'pushing hands' between lonely souls? And carry the flow from heavy drama to soft inner life, to what these people do to cool and express their ardor, she in her cooking, he in his calligraphy. Kar Wai makes it work, not quite so here.
Why is that? There's a scene of the old man watching videotapes of old Chinese kung fu movies, ridiculous from his perspective. The film is meant to offer next to other things a realistic depiction of his arts, fighting or otherwise, tied to realistic human connection as both soft.
But there are scenes like with the fat boy or in the restaurant, that in the end are as ridiculous as those movies, suddenly jerking us to fiction, obscuring what is vital in his art; and mirroring that, there's a sense of inflated drama in emotional moments. But Lee is too talented for us to be able to easily discard the whole work.
The Western perspective, introduced later in the film by the son, is that his father's internal arts may be his way of shutting off the outside world, keeping from being touched perhaps related to the tragic loss of his wife. All through the film, we see that he likes Mrs. Chen but is reluctant to be close to her.
Now watch again the last scene where he teaches tai chi in the Chinese community center, now the 'hero of Chinatown'. Watch how we first see him doing the motions, then with a soft flow of the camera materializes behind him as though out of thin air an entire class of students. And who enters as if by chance? Mrs. Chen.
Now 'soft' is what we see of his heart, 'hard' what we imagine as taking place in his head.
See how lightly the real and unreal touch, how smooth the parallel flow. So you can afford to miss the rest but not this last moment, it's expertly done and too delicious to ignore.
Gentle charm
gbill-7487713 November 2022
Love the natural performances of the two elders in this film (Sihung Lung and Wang Lai), and at its best, it touches on the real struggles of getting older in ways that tug the heartstrings. I was less impressed by the character and performance of the daughter-in-law, and the culture clash aspects of the story seemed a little clunky. There was a fair bit of melodrama here, some of which seemed sloppy, and some of which was pretty humorous (the old man channeling his powers and not being moveable by a crowd of guys in the kitchen comes to mind). It's uneven but engaging, and has gentle charm. Worth seeing.
Excellent
micahbboswell2729 October 2020
Develop Strong Roots
Snowgo26 May 2014
To me, Pushing Hands seems like a statement on and indictment of the American (U.S.) selfishness and self-centeredness that we have institutionalized and made to become a way of life. Deb Snyder's (as Martha Chu's) constrictive, jaundiced rigidity and lack of empathy is excruciating as we see her callous treatment of her gentle, undemanding, caring father-in-law, when he moves from Peking to N.Y.C to live with her and his son.
The fact that she wants to throw him on the streets is obvious from the first scene.
It is odd and ironic that Martha Chu looks and acts very ill (pale, ashen skin, clinically depressed, lifeless eyes) throughout the film, and these symptoms would have been transformed by her practicing of Tai Chi, but she will have none of it.
After her father in law, Mr. Chu (played by Lung Sihung), saves her life by diagnosing her bleeding ulcer, his "son" and daughter-in-law decide to send him to some kind of old folks home, because he took a walk and got lost. I almost took the movie out of my machine at that point and threw it in the trash: I could not watch as these two narcissists who invited this man to live with them, "re-decide" and put him in some type of communal living.
This is a statement on how American selfishness and "individual identity" is infecting even those Chinese who are now living in the U.S.
Mr. Chu's only respite is a woman friend he meets at the Chinese cultural center, Mrs. Chen. Mr. Chu opens his heart to this some-what reserved, divorced lady, and as the film progresses, we see just how good of a man Mr. Chu is. His so-called family do not even deserve to be in his presence.
The scene at the end, where Alex Chu begins to teach "push hands" to his wife, is a mockery. Martha Chu is a character that I really hate. (Mr. Chu, you will love).
This movie is a stern and sometimes heart-wrenching warning to rectify and transform the selfishness and materialism that defines so many of us.
The fact that she wants to throw him on the streets is obvious from the first scene.
It is odd and ironic that Martha Chu looks and acts very ill (pale, ashen skin, clinically depressed, lifeless eyes) throughout the film, and these symptoms would have been transformed by her practicing of Tai Chi, but she will have none of it.
After her father in law, Mr. Chu (played by Lung Sihung), saves her life by diagnosing her bleeding ulcer, his "son" and daughter-in-law decide to send him to some kind of old folks home, because he took a walk and got lost. I almost took the movie out of my machine at that point and threw it in the trash: I could not watch as these two narcissists who invited this man to live with them, "re-decide" and put him in some type of communal living.
This is a statement on how American selfishness and "individual identity" is infecting even those Chinese who are now living in the U.S.
Mr. Chu's only respite is a woman friend he meets at the Chinese cultural center, Mrs. Chen. Mr. Chu opens his heart to this some-what reserved, divorced lady, and as the film progresses, we see just how good of a man Mr. Chu is. His so-called family do not even deserve to be in his presence.
The scene at the end, where Alex Chu begins to teach "push hands" to his wife, is a mockery. Martha Chu is a character that I really hate. (Mr. Chu, you will love).
This movie is a stern and sometimes heart-wrenching warning to rectify and transform the selfishness and materialism that defines so many of us.
Beautiful presentation and analysis of cultural differences
Gordon-1118 November 2007
This film is about an elderly Chinese man moving to America to join his son and family. He faces adjustment problems due to cultural clash.
The film is initially dull and boring. 7 minutes into the film and not one word is said! Though silence enhances the cultural rift between Mr Chu and Martha, the silence is probably too long. As the film progresses, more cultural differences are displayed. It is striking that during dinner, Martha and Jeremy uses forks to eat while Mr Chu and Alex uses chopsticks. Another striking scene is when Mr Chu and Mrs Chan talk in the community centre towards the end of the film, behind Mr Chu is an American flag while behind Mrs Chan it is a piece of Chinese calligraphy. Such subtle display of cultural differences is clever. The film is also heavy on Chinese traditional ideas, such as children taking care of parents as a natural duty, parents not wanting to burden children of their troubles etc. Such cultural ideas are beautifully explored.
It is a pity that this film is shot with a very low budget. There are even three occasions that the boom mike is visible. Fortunately, such imperfections do not hinder my enjoyment.
The film is initially dull and boring. 7 minutes into the film and not one word is said! Though silence enhances the cultural rift between Mr Chu and Martha, the silence is probably too long. As the film progresses, more cultural differences are displayed. It is striking that during dinner, Martha and Jeremy uses forks to eat while Mr Chu and Alex uses chopsticks. Another striking scene is when Mr Chu and Mrs Chan talk in the community centre towards the end of the film, behind Mr Chu is an American flag while behind Mrs Chan it is a piece of Chinese calligraphy. Such subtle display of cultural differences is clever. The film is also heavy on Chinese traditional ideas, such as children taking care of parents as a natural duty, parents not wanting to burden children of their troubles etc. Such cultural ideas are beautifully explored.
It is a pity that this film is shot with a very low budget. There are even three occasions that the boom mike is visible. Fortunately, such imperfections do not hinder my enjoyment.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
