I just happened upon this title tonight on Netflix. I have a vague memory of the book "Joy Luck Club," that I'd remembered seeing at #1 on the best sellers list some time ago, and love biographies, so I decided to give it a watch.
It was a fascinating study of her life, growing up as an Asian-American, along with all of its cultural and family issues. She went on to break female Asian writer barriers, when her first book above soared to the top of the best sellers list. It was very riveting to hear about the qualities of a writer from her point of view.
I was so impressed by this documentary that I now want to read "The Joy Luck Club," and perhaps some of her later works. A great film for any biography buff.
Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir
2021
Action / Biography / Documentary
Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir
2021
Action / Biography / Documentary
Plot summary
A profile of Chinese-American novelist Amy Tan is presented largely using words from her own mouth. While most of her novels use elements of her own life, she discusses the differences between fact and fiction when it comes to writing about issues arising from reality. In that context, she discusses her first novel, The Joy Luck Club, and while the character of June arguably is *the* representation of herself of all the characters, she is represented in the novel by the stories of all four daughters. Further in that context, she discusses her relationship with her parents, especially that with her suicidal mother, one which has always had its issues in its ebbs and flows. Tan also discusses how her writing has melded with other creative outlets in her life.
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Thoroughly Absorbing!
amazing intelligent woman
This was so wonderful to watch never heard a more intelligent honest woman tell a story like this before, what an amazing journey she has been on with sadness and success hated for it to end.
The very interesting life of a very accomplished, down-to-earth woman
In 2021, there is so much good stuff out there to stream, that I very rarely will watch something that hasn't been reviewed very much, and this one wasn't. But I am a big Amy Tan fan, with "The Joy Luck Club" movie one of my favorite films of the 90's (I read the book too, but I think the movie is better, which is a whole other discussion!),and I thought "The Bonesetter's Daughter" was magnificent. So I decided to give it a go. I think this documentary was excellent for two primary reasons.
The first one is that the highs and lows of Tan's life are very dramatic, especially with regard to her mother and her mother's life. I didn't realize that Tan had incorporated many of these things into her work. For better or worse, much of Tan's life is like a good fiction piece, except that it's not fiction. The second reason this documentary is so good is Tan herself. She is down-to-earth, humble, and very likeable.
I was going to say that I'm not sure how much people would appreciate this documentary if they don't know much about Amy Tan, but the previous reviewer didn't know much about Tan, and liked it. So I guess then everyone should see this!