The Paper Tigers
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The Paper Tigers
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Paper Tigers is a martial arts comedy about three middle-aged disciples looking to avenge their murdered mentor/master, despite the fact that they're now quite rusty. Expect lots of martial arts fighting, with punching and kicking, deaths, bloody wounds/bruises, and threats. Language includes a use of "motherf----r," plus several uses of "s--t," "bitch," "damn," etc., as well as racist slurs (the "N" word) and body shaming. Several shirtless males are shown, a young man flirts with and "picks up" a young woman, and there's dialogue about how steroid use can affect male genitalia. The main characters drink beers together in a bar. The movie isn't always funny or successful, but it has clear messages about valuing honesty, time with family, and standing up for yourself, and it's so lovable and winning that it's well worth a look.
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What's the Story?
In THE PAPER TIGERS, martial arts master Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan) trains three young disciples who, by 1993, show great promise. But many years later, Danny (Alain Uy) has become an insurance salesperson and a neglectful divorced dad who practices "turn the other cheek," out-of-shape Hing (Ron Yuan) has a lasting knee injury from a construction job, and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) teaches boxing but no longer remembers his training. When their master dies mysteriously, the estranged trio reunites and -- spurred on by their old nemesis, Carter (Matthew Page) -- try to find the potential murderer. The old friends must quickly sharpen their rusty skills to face off against the deadly "poison fingers" technique: a move that only their Sifu knew.
Is It Any Good?
Ragtag to the point of almost feeling homemade, this cheerful, lovable action comedy edges close to creaky martial arts and "old guy" movie clichés but evades them with sheer spirit and gumption. The feature writing and directing debut of Tran Quoc Bao, The Paper Tigers starts out a little shabbily, with a clunky-looking scene of Sifu's murder that doesn't inspire much confidence. A VHS-style flashback showing the trio's training is fun, and then things pick up as the perfectly cast Uy (True Detective), Yuan (Mulan), and Jenkins (The Bold and the Beautiful) advance with their strong, diverse chemistry.
The movie tries to pack in several messages -- e.g., the importance of spending time with family rather than work, not solving problems with violence, etc. -- but it also has some subtler, darker themes about cultural appropriation. Specifically, Carter is a prime example of a White man who liberally and shamelessly borrows from Chinese culture for his own benefit. Otherwise, while the movie's jokes are a little old-fashioned -- such as Hing losing his toupee during a fight -- they're mostly innocuous. The fight scenes, however, are constantly surprising. There's never any telling just how any one fight will turn out. In the end, The Paper Tigers is more of a love tap than a knockout punch, but it works.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Paper Tigers' violence. Is fighting glorified in this movie, or is it used only when necessary? What's the difference?
How are bullies depicted here? How are they and their actions handled or resolved?
Does the movie include positive diverse representations? Did you notice any stereotypes?
Why does work conflict with family in this story? How is the situation resolved? Does it seem realistic or satisfying? How?
What is "ageism"? Does the movie seem to be making fun of middle-aged people, or supporting them? How? Should older people be represented more often, and more positively? How does body image play into this?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 7, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: May 7, 2021
- Cast: Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins
- Director: Tran Quoc Bao
- Studio: Well Go USA
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- Run time: 110 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some strong language, offensive slurs, and violence
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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For kids who love action
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