Re-Orientalism in Asian American Film: Domesticity, Feminine Presence, and Masculine Absence

This chapter critically reviews three representative and commercially successful Chinese/Asian American Hollywood films—Crazy Rich Asians (2018), The Farewell (2019), and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)—each of which perpetuates stereotypes of Asian Americans through plots, characterisations, and discursive levels. The chapter posits that these films engage in re-Orientalism practices, reinforcing Oriental stereotypes, rather than dismantling these stereotypes. These films deploy intra-family clashes as central themes, which not only narrows the thematic spectrum that Asian American films should ideally encompass, but also impedes their potential to voice the socio-political dilemmas faced by Asian Americans beyond familial realms. Furthermore, this chapter critiques the gendered nature of re-Orientalism practices in these films because, while they champion feminist representation by spotlighting empowered female protagonists, a nod to the growing demand for feminist narratives in Western popular culture, they concurrently marginalise male characters. This selective empowerment results in an imbalanced portrayal of gender roles, perpetuating Orientalist imaginations of Asian Americans.