Shanghai Kiss: restoring Asian manhood distorted by stereotypes in the American society
As a Holloywood film, Shanghai Kiss has established a convincing male protagonist. With all his strenghts and flaws, this character is a watershed for the portrayl of male Asians.
Shanghai Kiss is a consolation to its Asian audience because finally, there is a Hollywood movie portraying Asian males’ sexuality positively. Unlike the sexy Asian babes in movies like Charlie’s Angels or Memoirs of a Geisha, Asian men are seldom, if ever, portrayed as desirable to the opposite sex. A recent Hollywood example of Asian men’s non-existent sexuality is Hiro Nakamura on the hit TV show Heroes played by Masi Oka. This Japanese character serves as a comic relief, and remains the only one among the many main characters, to be without a romantic relationship--so far the hightest point of his love life has been when he gave up his secret affection for a Japnese girl and helped an Anglo-saxon man pursue her. Even when they do appear romantically aware, Asian men are often depicted as either socially akward (The Harold and Kumar Series), or physically incompetent ( The Last Emperor). It is therefore an undeniable fact that Hollywood has long assulted the manhood of Asian males. In The Shanghai Kiss, however, it is not the case. In his affairs with several women, Liam proves to be quite romantic and in the green wood. He takes immediate actions when he spots a female of his taste; he makes effective speeches to win the girls over; even his occasional melancholy look proves to be attractive to a teenage beauty. In fact, Liam’s sexuality is so active that he is able to give romantic advices to his friend—a white American man. Concerning the issue in question, the character of Liam is certainly a watershed for Hollywood films: for the first time in America’s mainstream media, a male Asian protagonist having transracial relationships is portrayed as attractive and sexually active.
While the film sets up a image of Asian male as sexually healthy, there are still a few traits in Liam that are culturally considered Asian: Adelaide, Liam’s little girlfriend, calls him a metrosexual; Liam cries right after having sexual intercourse when he feels sentimental; He weeps on hearing Adelaide read him a poem over the phone and turns down the sex offer from another lady afterwards. Along with his neat hair-cut, preppy shirts, cappuccinos, and Mini Cooper, these traits represent a presumed metrosexual lifestyle of Asian men. This stereotype can also be found in Liam’s cousin—a karaoke singing, bargain-incapable urban male who dwells in the city of Shanghai. It is reasonalbe for these men to follow a mextrosexual lifestyle, for they are motropolitan citizens. However, since the film is autobiographical, with Liam and his cousin being the most prominent male Chinese roles, it seems unlikely for the Chinese American director to have randomly determined these characteristics. One possible intention is: to ensure the film’s public acceptance by narrowing the differences between the roles and the Hollywood stereotypes. Since mainstream media has familiarized the general audience with stereotypically feminine and sensitive Asian men , a metrosexual LAer seems much more convincing than a macho Chinese who doesn’t know Kung-fu. Of course Liam’s metro traits may be contradictory, or harmful to his manhood. Yet with the establishement of a convincing Asian character, the audience are becoming better prepared for the full image of a real Asian man.
Sadly, when probing into the identity of Asian Americans, the director has failed to strike a balance between two extremes: stereotypical Chinese and stereotypical American. It is worth noticing that the director of Shanghai Kiss has made significant attempts to correct the distorted image of Asian men’s sexuality. However I think the film has gone a little too far along this road: Liam has gone from a hardworking Asian to a sleazy failed actor; a nerdy genius to a bar-hopping drunk looking for one-night-stands; a respectful Chinese to a hooker-dating adult who at the same time maintains a platonic relationship with an under-aged girl. By committing these moral faults, Liam has rid himself of the conservative stereotype of Asians, but he has also stepped into the jail block of American subculture. If the director’s intensions were to make Liam appear cool by making him an American badass, I’d say say these attempts have not only failed to serve the cause, but also blurred the theme of the whole film—at times I find myself confused with whether this film is about Liam finding his cultural roots or him having a sex-and-booze carnival in Shanghai. These moral faults are effectively correcting the asexual image of Asian men, while at the same time they are essentially destructive, rather than constructive to a positive new image of Asians. Americanism is not a cure for Asian stereotypes in America. Certainly not superficial Americanness, or in Liam’s case, becoming an American badass.
Flawed as he is, the character of Liam is still a revolutionary one, a man with fleshly desires and sensitive feelings. In this sense, he has surpassed the previous male Chinese characters on big screen.
As a Holloywood film, Shanghai Kiss has established a convincing male protagonist. With all his strenghts and flaws, this character is a watershed for the portrayl of male Asians.
Shanghai Kiss is a consolation to its Asian audience because finally, there is a Hollywood movie portraying Asian males’ sexuality positively. Unlike the sexy Asian babes in movies like Charlie’s Angels or Memoirs of a Geisha, Asian men are seldom, if ever, portrayed as desirable to the opposite sex. A recent Hollywood example of Asian men’s non-existent sexuality is Hiro Nakamura on the hit TV show Heroes played by Masi Oka. This Japanese character serves as a comic relief, and remains the only one among the many main characters, to be without a romantic relationship--so far the hightest point of his love life has been when he gave up his secret affection for a Japnese girl and helped an Anglo-saxon man pursue her. Even when they do appear romantically aware, Asian men are often depicted as either socially akward (The Harold and Kumar Series), or physically incompetent ( The Last Emperor). It is therefore an undeniable fact that Hollywood has long assulted the manhood of Asian males. In The Shanghai Kiss, however, it is not the case. In his affairs with several women, Liam proves to be quite romantic and in the green wood. He takes immediate actions when he spots a female of his taste; he makes effective speeches to win the girls over; even his occasional melancholy look proves to be attractive to a teenage beauty. In fact, Liam’s sexuality is so active that he is able to give romantic advices to his friend—a white American man. Concerning the issue in question, the character of Liam is certainly a watershed for Hollywood films: for the first time in America’s mainstream media, a male Asian protagonist having transracial relationships is portrayed as attractive and sexually active.
While the film sets up a image of Asian male as sexually healthy, there are still a few traits in Liam that are culturally considered Asian: Adelaide, Liam’s little girlfriend, calls him a metrosexual; Liam cries right after having sexual intercourse when he feels sentimental; He weeps on hearing Adelaide read him a poem over the phone and turns down the sex offer from another lady afterwards. Along with his neat hair-cut, preppy shirts, cappuccinos, and Mini Cooper, these traits represent a presumed metrosexual lifestyle of Asian men. This stereotype can also be found in Liam’s cousin—a karaoke singing, bargain-incapable urban male who dwells in the city of Shanghai. It is reasonalbe for these men to follow a mextrosexual lifestyle, for they are motropolitan citizens. However, since the film is autobiographical, with Liam and his cousin being the most prominent male Chinese roles, it seems unlikely for the Chinese American director to have randomly determined these characteristics. One possible intention is: to ensure the film’s public acceptance by narrowing the differences between the roles and the Hollywood stereotypes. Since mainstream media has familiarized the general audience with stereotypically feminine and sensitive Asian men , a metrosexual LAer seems much more convincing than a macho Chinese who doesn’t know Kung-fu. Of course Liam’s metro traits may be contradictory, or harmful to his manhood. Yet with the establishement of a convincing Asian character, the audience are becoming better prepared for the full image of a real Asian man.
Sadly, when probing into the identity of Asian Americans, the director has failed to strike a balance between two extremes: stereotypical Chinese and stereotypical American. It is worth noticing that the director of Shanghai Kiss has made significant attempts to correct the distorted image of Asian men’s sexuality. However I think the film has gone a little too far along this road: Liam has gone from a hardworking Asian to a sleazy failed actor; a nerdy genius to a bar-hopping drunk looking for one-night-stands; a respectful Chinese to a hooker-dating adult who at the same time maintains a platonic relationship with an under-aged girl. By committing these moral faults, Liam has rid himself of the conservative stereotype of Asians, but he has also stepped into the jail block of American subculture. If the director’s intensions were to make Liam appear cool by making him an American badass, I’d say say these attempts have not only failed to serve the cause, but also blurred the theme of the whole film—at times I find myself confused with whether this film is about Liam finding his cultural roots or him having a sex-and-booze carnival in Shanghai. These moral faults are effectively correcting the asexual image of Asian men, while at the same time they are essentially destructive, rather than constructive to a positive new image of Asians. Americanism is not a cure for Asian stereotypes in America. Certainly not superficial Americanness, or in Liam’s case, becoming an American badass.
Flawed as he is, the character of Liam is still a revolutionary one, a man with fleshly desires and sensitive feelings. In this sense, he has surpassed the previous male Chinese characters on big screen.
