Review of The Joy Luck Club (1993) by Nancy O — 23 May 2011

A heartfelt adaptation of Amy Tan's bestselling novel. Much like the novel, the most satisfying aspect of the film is the many different ways that the complex mother/daughter bond is portrayed. The film's one drawback is that the acting is somewhat uneven.

There are some fantastic performances here, but some of the younger actors feel wooden at times. The real question here is why did this film receive an R-rating? There's no real violence, the swearing is kept at a minimum, and any sensuality feels very PG-13.

Sometimes, I don't understand Hollywood.