Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

C Marter Who says that a Korean actress cannot portray a Chinese character? Granted it's not a perfect movie, I was deeply moved by the human elements so true to the Chinese Community in North America.I do agree with Frank L. though that little of the superstition exists in Chinese culture these days, but i respectfully disagree that this film would create "new stereotypes unheard of before".After all, it's just 90 minutes of good entertainment. As a Chinese American/Canadian living far away from China Town, it opens a window for me to other Chinese's lives, and to better appreciate what i have as well as what I don't have.Didn't know that Sandra O. & Russell Y. are from Canada! Best wishes to them both on their continued success on the big screen or small:)

rclamond I feel this movie was great for a number of reasons. The lead character was charming, earnest, and while not a seasoned actress he had a strong grasp of her role that brought immediate sympathy.The story was outrageous, but it's about magic. Of course it's outrageous. The fact that the magic is self-taught from a do-it-yourself-spells-and-charms book just makes it feel fresh, with a Gilbert-and-Sullivan style story twist to boot.My only criticism is that this would be a perfect movie for kids but for some side stories that deal with serious issues like parental estrangement and suicide.

bmarles This movie is quite charming and humourous. The Chinese Canadian characters are incredibly superstitious to the point of being a bit over the top. I wonder if they are like that in real life, or whether it wasn't deliberately exagerrated. I live with many Chinese, but feel I don't understand them.There was a family in the film that spanned three generations. The father was anticipating a visit from the grandfather and was pushing his own son to be up to snuff. The son rebels by becoming a Bhuddhist monk and the grandfather writes that he disowned the son 20 years ago. However it wasn't clear to me why there was a split between first and second generations in the first place.If you are interested in cross-cultural issues, this is a good movie to go to.

crunchyk This is a completely charming movie about a little girl's attempts to use traditional Chinese magic to improve her mother's life. Valerie Tian completely steals the show in the role of the little girl. Sandra Oh and Chang Tseng also give good performances, as you would expect.