The Tradition in Chinese Families - Movie Review Example

Because she fears being disowned and hurting her family, while she manages to land a few bit parts on camera, Jade spends most of her time working in the shop owned by a family friend, performing the duties of a respectful daughter, and suffering through arranged dates with prosperous young Chinese men. When her family decides she's old enough to be committed to a man, the matchmaking (which is Chinese tradition) begins and Jade is set up with Andrew. Andrew is a successful and handsome Chinese lawyer.

The tradition in Chinese families is that the father, who is the revered head of the household, sanctions a match. Once he has sanctioned the match the daughter must obey or she runs the risk of being ostracized by her family and brings shame to them. Ultimately, she is running the risk of being disowned. When her father's childhood friend arrives for a visit, however, Jade must juggle her competing identities even more carefully than usual, lest her choice of professions -- and boyfriends -- shame her father.

The problem for Jade is that she can hardly imagine being married without being in love with the man she marries. Jade watches her best friend and others experience romance. It is something that she is supposed to act out, but she has never been able to experience it. She realizes that her strict Chinese tradition (which she honors) is barring her from enjoying other aspects of life.Additionally, she wants to experience the headlong romance that she sees her contemporaries experiencing. Instead of running the risk of being disowned by her father, Jade agrees to this arrangement.

The added bonus is that her agreement to the marriage also means that her family will leave her alone and she can follow her passion for acting. Things change though when she meets a white university student who inspires the romantic feelings that she has longed to have. However, as much as she tries to maintain her distance from Mark (the white man), it is not working. Now she has to deal with the conflict of pleasing her family and pursuing her own happiness.This movie allows all of those who are native to this country to understand the conflict that comes with strict tradition.

It also tells us that regardless of the restrictions which our cultures or religions place upon us, romance is romance and will not simply die out.