"The Joy Luck Club" is one of those movies that hits you in every single part of of your body--but for some reason--you want to get hit more. I read the book before and i turned on the tv to TCM, to find a realistic drama of what a Chinese women really had to face. I was shocked. I personally lived in San Francisco as a Chinese kid, and i remember furniture--just like how i knew it. I remember my sister--she had to live in China--i never even knew how she looked like until i finally saw her all grown up. All this and more happens in a finely crafted and complex masterpiece that we call "The Joy Luck Club"--the movie flashbacks eight women's journeys from China to present day America. As i was watching i was flipping the channel to another thing because of the upsetting scenes, but for some reason, i wanted more. I really did, it was just so interesting the realism in the movie, and even the story (which can be conceived as a normal--realistic Chinese family struggle). Parents... WATCH OUT! This movie is exactly how CSM says it is--gut-wrenching. You yourself may find yourself sobbing over the not-so-uncommon depressing flashbacks of the movie. For kids, they will not forget this movie, and all the emotional abuse upsetting themes will make them dream about it. Think about in school. All day long. That's why i would wait until you think your kids are mature enough to handle some brutal-but-heartwarming-material, and of course; the off screen violence, fully clothed sex-scene and sex-related themes. This film should not be mossed, but especially by the Chinese--men and women--because they will be ready to taste some nostalgia.
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The Joy Luck Club
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Poignant tale of Chinese-American moms, daughters.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
What to watch out for
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What Parents Need to Know
About The Joy Luck Club
Parents need to know that this film includes scenes of family expulsion and conflict, rape, child abandonment, parental death, spousal abuse (both physical and mental), and suicide. While not actually very racy, raunchy, or violent by today's standards, each story includes extremely upsetting material. This warning is more about emotional content than any graphic sex, violence, or language.
Read our full review by Kelly Kessler
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about family and cultural differences. As the film revolves around the stories of four mother-daughter relationships, the film presents a good opportunity to talk about the nature of mother/daughter relationships. What are the similarities and differences between the kinds of conflicts present in the film and those that occur within your family? Parents and children could also discuss ways in which Chinese culture appears different than (or similar to) American culture. How does the shift from China to the United States change the ways that families interact with each other (or does it)? Do these characters have any added pressures put on them by their cultural heritage? (NOTE: This story is told in a combination of English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.)
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Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
{Grade: B+} I Just Couldn't Stop Watching It
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A fantastic movie based on an even better book.
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