Chan Is Missing

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Chan Is Missing

1982

1h 20m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In this understated comedy from director Wayne Wang, Jo (Wood Moy), a cab driver in San Francisco's Chinatown, and his nephew, Steve (Marc Hayashi), have placed their combined savings into the hands of the shady and mysterious Chan. When this unreliable holder of their funds disappears, Jo and Steve become amateur investigators and attempt to track him down, meeting with resistance -- and plenty of humorous characters and situations -- along the way.

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Critics Consensus

An entertaining mystery that's also rich in setting and character detail, Chan Is Missing suggests thrilling potential from director/co-writer Wayne Wang.

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Derek Smith

Slant Magazine

Wayne Wang’s playfully enigmatic debut was a watershed for Asian American filmmakers.

Jun 21, 2022

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Wood Moy and Marc Hayashi serve notice that they are actors worthy of more films. But the lion's share of the credit for Chan Is Missing must go to director Wang, who with this one tricky little film serves notice that he is a filmmaker to watch.

Rated: 4/4

May 19, 2021

Full Review

Michael Maza

Arizona Republic

Chan Is Missing is craftily iconoclastic; unlike so many big-budgeted Hollywood genre-splicings and sendups, it sledgehammers old forms, not just for the heck of it, but with an eye toward building something new.

May 19, 2021

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

Style, not story, is the real reason for watching Chan Is Missing. It’s shot with many references to film noir while also ironically salting in some Charlie Chan-like aphorisms.

Rated: 8/10

Apr 27, 2025

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Olivia Popp

Asian Movie Pulse

Wang simply chooses to ignore conventional bounds altogether, instead creating a film that acts as geopolitical primer, a delicate portrait of a community, and meditation on identity politics and border anxieties in contemporary America, all in one.

May 21, 2023

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Bill Cosford

Miami Herald

It is in black-and-white, it is quite funny, and it is a revelation.

Rated: 3/4

May 19, 2021

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 1/3 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 1982-2025 by New Yorker Films!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed on June 04th, 1982, in color!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

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Mark P

I saw this long ago, back in the 80s, liked it and would like to see it again. It's unclear to me why major steaming sevices don't carry cult film, little budget wonders, film-school early director work. Warmed over crap gets the nod.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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Audience Member

Very good forgotten/unknown film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

Independent noir-ish movie from the early 80s made by a Chinese American director with an entirely Chinese American cast, and taking place in San Fransisco's Chinatown, about a taxi driver who begins a search for his friend who has disappeared with his money (which was supposed to be used for his cab license). He ends up on a fruitless amateur investigation learning that his friend may not have been all that he thought he was, and could've possibly been mixed up with a murder and fled back to China. The movie is also notable for giving a lot of insights into Chinese American culture, and the little intricacies within. t is a good little movie, I liked it, despite a few shortcomings from some of the clear amateurs in the cast...but with smaller indie films? That is often pretty forgivable for me, particularly if the movie has heart, a story, and is trying it's best.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

Wayne Wang - The American Chinese Spike Lee. His first movie and a bit rough at the edges because of the low budget, but an insightful look into the lives of Chinese Americans in the 80's

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

Odd little movie, the first in a long career by Wayne Wang. Starts off as a noir-inflected mystery, but quickly turns into more of a fictionalized documentary about the lives of Chinese immigrants and their American-born children in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1982. A bit slow, but unique and interesting in a sociological sort of way.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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Wayne Wang

Director

Wood Moy

Jo

Marc Hayashi

Steve

Laureen Chew

Amy

Isaac Cronin

Writer

Wayne Wang

Writer

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Synopsis

In this understated comedy from director Wayne Wang, Jo (Wood Moy), a cab driver in San Francisco's Chinatown, and his nephew, Steve (Marc Hayashi), have placed their combined savings into the hands of the shady and mysterious Chan. When this unreliable holder of their funds disappears, Jo and Steve become amateur investigators and attempt to track him down, meeting with resistance -- and plenty of humorous characters and situations -- along the way.

Director: Wayne Wang
Producer: Wayne Wang
Screenwriter: Isaac Cronin, Wayne Wang
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: New Yorker Films
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 4, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2016
Runtime: 1h 20m
Sound Mix: Mono

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