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Trailer

Pushing Hands

1991Movie1 h 45 min

ComedyDrama
78
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Rotten Tomatoes100%83%

A nostalgic, moving drama movie about family and everyday modern life.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

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Not for scares, adrenaline or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Mr. Chu is an elderly widower who teaches tai chi chuan in Beijing. He moves to America to live with his son's family, but finds the cultural adjustment difficult. Since his daughter-in-law is a white woman who does not speak Chinese, Mr. Chu's son, Alex, must mediate.

Feels like

  • Cross-Cultural Family Drama
  • Generational Conflict
  • Cultural Adjustment
  • Nostalgia and Longing
  • Tai Chi Chuan
  • Family Dynamics
  • Social Commentary
  • Character-Driven

Cast

8 of 8

Crew

Directed by
Ang Lee
Written by
Ang Lee, James Schamus
Produced by
Jiang Feng-Chyt
Music by
Tai-An Hsu, Qu Xiaosong

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 7, 1991 · 1 h 45 min · Drama, Comedy

Released
December 7, 1991
Runtime
1 h 45 min
Genres
Drama, Comedy
Original language
Chinese
Also spoken
English
Made in
Taiwan, United States
Budget
$400,000
Box office
$152,322
Available in
4 countries

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Pushing Hands?"

Questions about Pushing Hands

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Pushing Hands?

The RokuKanopyPlexOnDemandKoreaMetrographFawesomeFilm Movement+Amasian TV

In the United States, Pushing Hands streams on Metrograph and Film Movement+, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Plex, OnDemandKorea, Fawesome, and Amasian TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 1 other country.

Is Pushing Hands worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78 (IMDb 7.2 and Rotten Tomatoes 100%). Critics rate it higher (100 out of 100) than audiences (78).

Is Pushing Hands okay for kids?

Yes: the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

Will Pushing Hands make me laugh?

A touch

Not much for a comedy: the title analysis gives its humor 1 of 4.

Is Pushing Hands plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (8 of 10) and dialogue centrality (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is Pushing Hands in English?

ChineseEnglish

No, it was made in Chinese, with some English.