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Chan Is Missing

Play trailer Poster for Chan Is Missing Released Jun 4, 1982 1h 20m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 51 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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Chan Is Missing

Chan Is Missing

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 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 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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 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
Chan Is Missing

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

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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