Wayne Wang directs Wood Moy, Marc Hayashi and Laureen Chew in this American indie where two cab drivers search San Francisco’s Chinatown for the mysterious Chan, who disappeared with their $4000.

Slight but reaching in a lot of directions, this is admirable stuff, often pleasurable too. A mystery with only missing clues and where the best witness is hidden behind a door. Pretty smart. Wang uses the quest as a delivery system to meet lots of Chinese Americans, sketching a community and celebrating some big personalities. There are naturalistic, humorous interludes between the cab drivers… clearly close friends but with a generation gap and differing philosophical outlooks. This is slowly becoming a ‘forgotten film’ which is a shame as it should deeply satisfy fans of Cassevetes and especially early Jarmusch.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Permanent Vacation (1980)