Introduced by Chris Berry

(Tuishou). Lee's first feature film begins his career-long love affair with the family melodrama. This reflection on "the meaning of life," Chinese American style, delivers a classy, delightful, well-observed social satire on a minimal budget. Retired tai-chi grand master Chu, freshly arrived from Beijing after suffering years of hardship, faces his ultimate challenge in the U.S.: a liberated Caucasian daughter-in-law. In the land of opulence he confronts "family loneliness." As Chu becomes progressively more estranged from his own family, he finds a sympathetic spirit in a lively Taiwanese expatriate widow. Superbly served by a strong cast, Lee offers a refreshing look at the cultural differences between China and America. Along the way, he deals with universal issues of conflict of generations, love, and lack of communication.-Adapted from Mill Valley Film Festival program note