The Wedding Banquet

       "The Wedding Banquet" is a movie directed by Taiwanese Ang Le, but filmed in New York City.  The movie is about the cultural struggles of being a gay male, partly in the United States, but more importantly from Taiwan.  The main character Wai-Tung is in a serious relationship with his American partner Simon.  Wai-Tung's parents are still in Taiwan and have no idea that he is living with a man.  His parents, especially his mom, try to find him a female spouse so that he can continue their family name.  He continues to reassure them that he is fine and that they have nothing to worry about.  He occasionally goes on dates with the women his mother sets him up with.  For obvious reasons there is never a second date.  This movie has scenes of comedy, drama, and romance.  Wai-Tung's parents come to the US to visit him because he told them that he is getting married to a woman who is actually his tenant.  His husband came up with the plan and they were able to laugh about it for a while until Wai-Tung and his tenant, Wai-Wai, were actually married.  His parents and his family's extreme pride began to take an emotional toll on Wai-Tung.  Despite Wai-Wai's and Simon's confidence, things begin to get serious as his father's
heart got worse and his parents stayed longer.  When his father's heart condition gets more and more serious Wai-Tung fears that if he tell his dad the truth about his sexuality, it may literally kill him.  To put the icing on the cake Wai-Wai got pregnant night after their wedding because they were both drunk.  While in the hospital about his father's heart condition Wai-Tung breaks down and tells his mother that he is gay.  She does not fully understand or accept it, but he is finally set free of that burden.  He promises never to tell his father.  While Simon goes for a walk with his father his father tells him that he knows that they are gay, but he says that Simon must never tell Wai-Tung's mother.  Everyone knows that Simon and Wai-Tung are gay, but not everyone knows that everyone knows.  The parents leave to go back to Taiwan and everyone is happy.  Wai-Wai and Wai-Tung's parents have a child, and Simon and Wai-Tung can finally feel great about being in love.
       A major theme in this movie is being tru to yourself.  Wai-Tung struggles with his true self because he believes his parents will not accept him for who he really is.  He explains that the only reason that he took girls to dances when he was younger was because it was what everyone else was doing. After
explaining to his mother who he really is, despite her slight lack of understanding, it bring peace to Wai-Tung.  Even when his parents find out what he thought was the worst case scenario, everyone is happy and now his life can continue better than ever.  This was made possible because he admitted to his mother who e really is.   
       I enjoyed watching this movie.  I thought that is was really interesting how you thought that everything had hit rock bottom due to Wai-Wai's pregnancy, but really it only made things better.  Wai-Wai got the family she never had and Wai-Tung's parents go the grandchild they always wanted.  I didn't think it was possible for things to end happily.  Everything ended up being fine, event hough at first it seemed impossible.  That is my favorite aspect of the movie.