Movie Review of Guasha Treatment
Chinese immigrant, Da Tong, struggle to hold onto their American dream after the disaster comes to him. Da Tong’s father gives a simple Chinese Medicine therapy called Guasha to his grandson, that leaves bright red marks on the skin and the American doctor mistook it as child abuse behavior. And the Children Welfare Bureau started a lawsuit about the behavior of Dennis’ father and they took action to protect Dennis. In the court, Datong loses his mind so that finally he loses custody of his son.
I think this scene is shocking and thought-provoking to most of the Chinese audiences.And then this story is about how to clear the air and win his son back. The movie Guasha Treatment is designed to discuss the culture differences between China and America. In this movie, we can see culture shock everywhere.
At the beginning of the movie, Da Tong insisted to make Dennis apologize to Paul because Dennis hits Paul. In order to make Dennis say sorry, Da Tong hits Dennis when everybody were there. He wants to show his respect for his boss while what his son do is to show his love to daddy. Da Tong gives his boy a light rap on the head when he refuses to apologize and the boy cries to his mother that the reason he hit his playmate was that the other boy called Da Tong stupid, one of many examples of doing the wrong thing to protect your family.
This situation makes the American so confused. American would not hit their children in the public when their children do something wrong. Even they will give their children a chance to explain what happens. But in China, parents always hit their children in the public and make them feel sorry. Even not give them a chance to explain their action.
Da Tong is the father who is trying to integrate his Chinese cultural beliefs into his daily American reality, especially when dealing with his son. His education is Chinese way while his wife Jenny wants to educate Dennis in American way. There is conflict within his family because grandfather can’t speak English and is exclude from many conversations because Jenny wants only English spoken in her home for the benefit of her American born son.
Da Tong and his wife are very well educated and understand that their child's best chances for success in America, and for him not to experience the same troubles they've had during the past 8 years, are to speak without an accent. They even go so far as to insist the boy use a fork and knife instead of chopsticks, even when it's obvious they are still eating Chinese style food, served in the normal way: communal dishes for the food and smaller, individual rice bowls for each person. Mother seems a
