Chan Is Missing

Released Jun 4, 1982

1h 20m

Comedy

List

96%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

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.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Rent Chan Is Missing on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Tom Sabulis

Tampa Bay Times

Provocative and funny.

Rated: 4/4

May 19, 2021

Full Review

George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Chan Is Missing is valuable for its fresh look at a world we've never really seen on screen before.

May 19, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

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

Full Review

Audience Member

Very good forgotten/unknown film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Audience Member

watched this movie as part of an transpacific American art history class that explored some expression within film by transpacific movie directors. I thought this movie was moving as well as very though provoking--never having grown up in a Chinatown myself, having a view of what life might have been like for me was the "moving" part. Thought provoking comes with the search for Chan and how Marc is on a mad search for a friend that he thought he knew, but, realizes, that he really doesn't. The movie provides insight into Asian American life as well as the struggle of the community to try and make ends meet.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Wayne Wang

Director

Wood Moy

Jo

Marc Hayashi

Steve

Laureen Chew

Amy

Isaac Cronin

Writer

Wayne Wang

Writer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

77%

72%

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

0%

19%

National Lampoon's Movie Madness

29%

23%

Curse of the Pink Panther

10%

29%

The Sting II

9%

44%

The Survivors

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

18 Asian-American Movie and TV Milestones

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now