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You expect a culture clash when a Chinese-American Silicon Valley computer hotshot quits his job and takes his thoroughly American family home to Beijing to see his sister. In the hands of director-star Peter Wang, it's more like a series of love taps as each family receives a gentle lesson in how the other half lives. The sights and sounds of Beijing's sleepy suburbs and bustling modern urban center was an eye-opening glimpse behind the Great Wall for 1986 audiences watching the "first American comedy shot in China," and the easy pace, the genial portrait of family life, and the subtle, almost fleeting references to the cultural revolution, give it a flavor steeped in both cultures. Perhaps Wang's evenhanded humor and innocence was only possible before the Tiananmen Square massacre, but it remains an enjoyable journey. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Cool Record of the Past
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.

Culture Crash...
The American Fang family is going to Beijing to meet Leo's sister and her family who he has not seen for 30 years. When they meet, both families have preconceived notions of how things should be based on their own culture and they encounter different barriers besides the Great Wall. These barriers are built upon the minute details that are encountered in everyday life along with ideas that people have been taught through their environment. These differences are blown up by presumptions of how things should be base on learned morals, values, and beliefs. The Great Wall presents an interesting idea; however, the film feels forced as the characters seem a little to rigid in their environment. The end result is an average cinematic experience that does not meet up to the expectations of the story.

Funny, insightful, fully enjoyable
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. ... Read more