Bu jian bu san

Bu jian bu san: 7.5/10

The English title for this Chinese movie is "Be There or Be Square". It covers the lives of two Chinese immigants to the USA, how they struggle to fit in the new culture, with more passive violence and the like. The two get separated several times, and it's hard to tell if they'll ever become romantically involved. The movie goes to and from being a comedy, with the man responsible for most comedic parts, but it stays true to the romance theme. This is a simple movie, but the acting of both leads is tremendous and this has the typically patient build of Asian romances, and is in no way predictable. Good stuff.

Why have I not heard about this film when it first came out in 1999? Well, I dont' know. One thing I do know, is that, this is everything I had been looking for in a film.

Director and screen-writer Feng, if you see this sir, please contact me?

You have just made number one on my personal hero list. I just came up with one after seeing you film.

I would like the opportunity to learn from you, to see, to hear the things you feel with you sixth sense.

regards

This is a nice movie but there are a lot of racial undertones in it. Every scene with an "American" depicts them as stupid or violent. It's true that many American films have given little respect to Asian people. It's true that the roles of Asian actors in American films are usually limited to "Chinese delivery boy" and "nerd".

But Bu Jian Bu San seems to serve as a payback for all the injustice done to Asians in American film. It's interesting how the filmmakers pull it off. It's carried out in a way that's culturally Asian; indirect. The subliminal American stereotypes are intricately woven into the story line. One scene, you see the van pull away while the camera fixes its focus on an overweight white woman on a payphone. Another scene, the main characters are talking about how cops in America will shoot you and the girl replies in fear "why?!".

Other than all of this crap, the story is nice.

I've seen this movie at the new year's day of 1999. Actually it is a quite good funny and happy movie, but of course with lots of shortage. I can't see any reason why the two people begin to love each other, seems only for lonely? Everything is just surface, no deep idea in it. But the screenplay is good, so I give it 7.

This is a very interesting movie. This movie revealed the hardship of the previous generation of Chinese persons immigrating to America and finding no work. It had both humor and irony woven into the plot. It detailed the relationship of a man and woman both struggling in America to make ends meet, and the disillusionment of the "American dream." It used irony and American and Chinese stereotypes. One memorable part is when the man is teaching American police officers Mao-ist sayings to assist the police in arresting citizens that speak only Mandarin. This is a very funny movie, it is even funnier if perceptions of both the East of China and the West of America are understood. I do agree that this may not appeal to the average Westerner, but it greatly appealed to me...Great movie!!!