The Wedding Banquet



The Wedding Banquet is a comedy directed by Ang Lee (of Brokeback Mountain and Lust Caution fame) and released in 1993. It was Lee's first exploration of the societal acceptance of homosexuality.

Gao Wai-tung lives a successful live in New York City: his business is thriving and he is in a happy relationship with his boyfriend Simon. The only problem is that his parents, who have stayed back home in Taiwan, ask him with increasing urgency when he's going to get married to a nice Chinese girl and give them some grandchildren. Fearing their reaction, Wai-tung has never told them about his sexual orientation.

In order to satisfy them, Simon suggests that Wai-tung engage in a marriage of convenience with Wei-wei, one of his tenants, a penniless artist from Shanghai who needs a green card. What none of them expected is that Wai-tung's parents would show up for the wedding. Now Wai-tung and Wei-wei have to go through the hassle of an elaborate traditional wedding ceremony, complete with lavish banquet and dozens of guests. After the banquet, a terminally drunk Wai-tung realizes that Wei-wei is having sex with him.

With Wei-wei now pregnant, and Wai-tung's parents staying weeks longer than initially planned, the relationship between Wai-tung and Simon becomes strained. Wai-tung's father eventually figures out his son's homosexuality, and gives Simon a red envelope, a symbolic admission of his status as Wai-tung's real spouse. Wei-wei, who was considering having an abortion, decides to keep the baby and to raise it together with both men.

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Contains examples of:

 * Citizenship Marriage: Wei-wei agrees to marry Wai-tung because she needs a green card.
 * Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Wei-wei decides to keep the baby.
 * Has Two Daddies: Two daddies and a mommy.
 * Love Triangle: Simon, Wai-tung and Wei-wei.
 * Meddling Parents
 * My Own Private I Do
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: Wai-tung's father.
 * Rape Is OK When It Is Female On Male: Wai-tung said 'no' and was not in any way consenting. He was just too drunk to physically overpower her and throw her off. No one seems to care that it was rape.
 * Wedding Day: Played straight.