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Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen
From visionary director Jon M. Chu comes a powerful, inspiring memoir of belonging, creativity, and learning to see who you really are.
Long before he directed Wicked, In The Heights, or the groundbreaking film Crazy Rich Asians, Jon M. Chu was a movie-obsessed first-generation Chinese American, helping at his parents’ Chinese restaurant in Silicon Valley and forever facing the cultural identity crisis endemic to children of immigrants. Growing up on the cutting edge of twenty-first-century technology gave Chu the tools he needed to make his mark at USC film school, and to be discovered by Steven Spielberg, but he soon found himself struggling to understand who he was. In this book, for the first time, Chu turns the lens on his own life and work, telling the universal story of questioning what it means when your dreams collide with your circumstances, and showing how it’s possible to succeed even when the world changes beyond all recognition. With striking candor and unrivaled insights, Chu offers a firsthand account of the collision of Silicon Valley and Hollywood—what it’s been like to watch his old world shatter and reshape his new one. Ultimately, Viewfinder is about reckoning with your own story, becoming your most creative self, and finding a path all your own.
Long before he directed Wicked, In The Heights, or the groundbreaking film Crazy Rich Asians, Jon M. Chu was a movie-obsessed first-generation Chinese American, helping at his parents’ Chinese restaurant in Silicon Valley and forever facing the cultural identity crisis endemic to children of immigrants. Growing up on the cutting edge of twenty-first-century technology gave Chu the tools he needed to make his mark at USC film school, and to be discovered by Steven Spielberg, but he soon found himself struggling to understand who he was. In this book, for the first time, Chu turns the lens on his own life and work, telling the universal story of questioning what it means when your dreams collide with your circumstances, and showing how it’s possible to succeed even when the world changes beyond all recognition. With striking candor and unrivaled insights, Chu offers a firsthand account of the collision of Silicon Valley and Hollywood—what it’s been like to watch his old world shatter and reshape his new one. Ultimately, Viewfinder is about reckoning with your own story, becoming your most creative self, and finding a path all your own.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published July 23, 2024
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September 1, 2024
Very mixed feelings about this one. I’ll start with what I appreciated: Jon Chu sharing about the highs and lows of a creative career as well as the anti-Asian racism he witnessed and experienced as he progressed as a director. The writing in Viewfinder, while not phenomenal, was easy to read. There’s some reflection about cultural identity I found honest and a little compelling at times.
However, I had big issues with what seemed to me to be Chu’s internalized racism throughout this experience as a director. It was odd for me to read this because I think Chu does name his initial shame about his Asian identity and his initial attempt at directing Asian-focused films. But he doesn’t really ever unpack the source of that internalized racism or the steps he took to overcome it. You can imagine that he eventually did confront these issues because of how he directed Crazy Rich Asians, but he has a line about feeling lonely even though he’s surrounded by other Asian people on set, which motivated him to pursue marriage with his wife, who is white… he doesn’t mention his wife’s race, but still it was odd to read. Also, he referred to Henry Golding as the Asian Cary Grant, which is just a pet peeve of mine because why are you reinforcing white people as the norm?
Maybe I feel negatively about these aspects of the book because I grew up around a lot of Asian Americans and haven’t contended with internalized racism (because I choose to surround myself with fellow people of color who also don’t have internalized racism). It was also odd for me to read about Chu essentially unilaterally praising white people in tech and white people in the film industry. I get that it’s a memoir and he’s still in the profession so he may feel uncomfortable popping off on people or naming white privilege more directly, and I too have also worked with some wonderful white mentors in my field, but it didn’t sit right with me that he didn’t name more explicitly the role of white supremacy in film overall.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re really interested in film or something like that. I’m glad that Chu acknowledged the criticism he received for erasing dark-skinned Latinx people in In The Heights, which at least showed a little lack of defensiveness/openness to criticism. This was overall a mildly entertaining read but not one I’ll cherish. Two memoirs that come to mind by Asian American men that I really enjoyed instead are Sign, Gone by Phuc Tran and Stay True by Hua Hsu.
However, I had big issues with what seemed to me to be Chu’s internalized racism throughout this experience as a director. It was odd for me to read this because I think Chu does name his initial shame about his Asian identity and his initial attempt at directing Asian-focused films. But he doesn’t really ever unpack the source of that internalized racism or the steps he took to overcome it. You can imagine that he eventually did confront these issues because of how he directed Crazy Rich Asians, but he has a line about feeling lonely even though he’s surrounded by other Asian people on set, which motivated him to pursue marriage with his wife, who is white… he doesn’t mention his wife’s race, but still it was odd to read. Also, he referred to Henry Golding as the Asian Cary Grant, which is just a pet peeve of mine because why are you reinforcing white people as the norm?
Maybe I feel negatively about these aspects of the book because I grew up around a lot of Asian Americans and haven’t contended with internalized racism (because I choose to surround myself with fellow people of color who also don’t have internalized racism). It was also odd for me to read about Chu essentially unilaterally praising white people in tech and white people in the film industry. I get that it’s a memoir and he’s still in the profession so he may feel uncomfortable popping off on people or naming white privilege more directly, and I too have also worked with some wonderful white mentors in my field, but it didn’t sit right with me that he didn’t name more explicitly the role of white supremacy in film overall.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’re really interested in film or something like that. I’m glad that Chu acknowledged the criticism he received for erasing dark-skinned Latinx people in In The Heights, which at least showed a little lack of defensiveness/openness to criticism. This was overall a mildly entertaining read but not one I’ll cherish. Two memoirs that come to mind by Asian American men that I really enjoyed instead are Sign, Gone by Phuc Tran and Stay True by Hua Hsu.
August 4, 2024
I’m not usually much of a fan of celebrity memoirs, but Jon M. Chu’s memoir
Viewfinder
is one that I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced. Seeing that “Crazy Rich Asians” was (and still is) one of my favorite movies, plus we share a similar background in that we both came from Chinese immigrant families and grew up/lived/went to school/worked in Southern California, I was really interested in learning more about Chu’s journey (outside of what I was able to glean through interviews during the CRA promos) and his experiences breaking into an industry that has traditionally been less than welcoming to Asians. Much of what Chu talks about in the book resonated with me deeply, especially his struggle reconciling the two sides of his identity – Asian and American – and the various successes as well as failures that contributed to the person he chose to become: one who learns to embrace both sides of his identity, in both life and work.
Of course, being a fan of CRA, my favorite part of the memoir was the chapter where Chu goes into detail about his experiences making the movie. Even though I already knew a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff related to the movie (of course I don’t call myself a “fan” for nothing, lol), what I didn’t know was how much the movie reflected Chu’s personal journey as a Chinese American trying to come to terms with his cultural identity. As such, there were many details that he added from his own life as well as from the lives of his family members that weren’t in the book – as a purist, I’m usually wary about adaptations that stray too far from the book, but in this case, the many personal touches that Chu added to the movie version worked wonderfully (to the point that – and you won’t hear me say this often – this was one of those extremely rare cases where the movie was actually better than the book). What I found most interesting in reading this memoir is that many of my favorite scenes from the movie (“favorite” because those scenes resonated with me the most) were actually the ones that Chu added from his personal background: for example, the scene where the family gathers together to make dumplings (which he based on his own family’s gatherings and dumpling-making lessons led by his late maternal grandmother); the climactic mahjong showdown scene between Rachel and Eleanor (which was especially fun to read about knowing how the game is played and seeing how my understanding of the symbolism behind that scene aligned with Chu’s intention for it); and the kitchen scene where Nick first introduces Rachel to his mother (the significance of that scene is that Chu indirectly pays homage to his family’s restaurant, Chef Chu’s, which has been a Silicon Valley mainstay for more than 50 years – though the bit about the MSG appearance in that scene and both Michelle Yeoh’s as well as Chu’s father’s reaction to it was hilarious). There were also some CRA “fun facts” that Chu revealed in his memoir that I had no idea about (for example, Chu’s daughter Willow – who was a newborn at the time -- has a “blink-and-you’ll miss it” cameo in the movie, as does CRA author Kevin Kwan’s family). Reading all this behind-the-scenes stuff made me want to go re-watch the movie again, this time as someone with more “inside knowledge” that will undoubtedly enhance the experience even further for me.
I wanted to close this review with two quotes from Chu’s memoir that resonated most with me, precisely because they reflect my own struggles as an Asian American constantly trying to reconcile the two sides of my cultural identity.
The first quote is from the chapter about CRA, where Chu talks about the significance of Rachel’s journey in the movie – he refers specifically to the scene on the staircase where Eleanor (played to wonderful effect by one of my longtime idols Michelle Yeoh) tells Rachel (a role which Constance Wu also embodied perfectly): “You will never be enough.” Chu explains how this one line of dialogue (and the brilliant way Michelle Yeoh delivered it) had the powerful effect of causing all the Asian Americans on set (including himself) to go silent because of how deeply it cuts to the core of the Asian American experience, in a way that those who’ve never had to navigate those two worlds will never understand. He writes: “Eleanor’s line and Rachel’s reaction expressed what I hadn’t been willing to express before and had rarely seen expressed by anybody else. When you grow up the way I did – torn between Asia and America, trying to shed what you are, trying to be what you’re not – the world can make you feel worthless. You’re not Asian enough. You’re not American enough. You’re not smart enough. You’re not talented enough. If you’re an Asian man, you’re not attractive enough. And then, louder than all the rest: You don’t belong here. You hear that one all the time. Everywhere.” I cried when I read this part because of how succinctly it expresses my own lifelong identity struggle.
The second quote comes later in that same chapter, when Chu talks candidly about some of the criticisms that CRA received – specifically the one where people complained that CRA simplified the complexities of the Asian culture and in presenting the insular world of wealthy Asians, it reflected an “outsider’s version of Asian life” and therefore was inauthentic (notably, the movie was slammed in many of the overseas Asian territories that screened it). Chu explains that the CRA story is about an Asian American going to Asia for the first time and we are seeing the world through her “newcomer” eyes – the movie was not meant to provide a comprehensive view of Asian culture, but rather an “Asia 101” type of glimpse into one aspect of the culture, with the hope that the opportunity to explore the “deeper layers – the true change that comes from broader awareness” can become more accessible in the future. Hearing this particular complaint gave Chu insight into what his parents went through with their restaurant, which endured similar criticisms throughout its existence. This prompted Chu to have a heartfelt conversation with his father, of which he writes: “’This is how you grew up,’ my dad told me. ‘Respecting two worlds because we are of two worlds. People who aren’t of those two worlds can’t see that’s what we’re trying to resolve.’ To make a life in this country, they had needed to find a way to integrate Asia and America….After so many years of trying to be like Spielberg and Lucas, I came into my own as a filmmaker only once I started trying to be like my parents – when I started thinking of myself as an ambassador, treating my position between two cultures as something to cherish, not something to hide or resent. They showed me how to tell stories that would open the door for other stories.”
This was an insightful memoir, one that I enjoyed not just because of the resonance from a cultural perspective, but also because of Chu’s unflinching honesty when recounting his successes and failures (whether in life or work). Chu’s passion, enthusiasm, and love for filmmaking truly shines through in this memoir -- the way he recounted his movie-making experiences as well as his encounters with various famous people (Steven Spielberg, Steve Jobs, etc.) gave me serious “kid in a candy shop” vibes; this, combined with Chu’s self-deprecating humor (which was on full display throughout the book), made his memoir a lot of fun to read.
Received ARC from Random House via NetGalley
**Note: The quotes above are from the final published copy of the book, which I ended up reading instead of the ARC version. Also, Chu and his co-writer Jeremy McCarter did an interview with Ariana Grande (hosted by bookstore Book Passage) where they provide additional insights about the memoir and their experience writing it – I would recommend watching that interview if you have access to it, as it definitely enhances the reading experience!
Of course, being a fan of CRA, my favorite part of the memoir was the chapter where Chu goes into detail about his experiences making the movie. Even though I already knew a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff related to the movie (of course I don’t call myself a “fan” for nothing, lol), what I didn’t know was how much the movie reflected Chu’s personal journey as a Chinese American trying to come to terms with his cultural identity. As such, there were many details that he added from his own life as well as from the lives of his family members that weren’t in the book – as a purist, I’m usually wary about adaptations that stray too far from the book, but in this case, the many personal touches that Chu added to the movie version worked wonderfully (to the point that – and you won’t hear me say this often – this was one of those extremely rare cases where the movie was actually better than the book). What I found most interesting in reading this memoir is that many of my favorite scenes from the movie (“favorite” because those scenes resonated with me the most) were actually the ones that Chu added from his personal background: for example, the scene where the family gathers together to make dumplings (which he based on his own family’s gatherings and dumpling-making lessons led by his late maternal grandmother); the climactic mahjong showdown scene between Rachel and Eleanor (which was especially fun to read about knowing how the game is played and seeing how my understanding of the symbolism behind that scene aligned with Chu’s intention for it); and the kitchen scene where Nick first introduces Rachel to his mother (the significance of that scene is that Chu indirectly pays homage to his family’s restaurant, Chef Chu’s, which has been a Silicon Valley mainstay for more than 50 years – though the bit about the MSG appearance in that scene and both Michelle Yeoh’s as well as Chu’s father’s reaction to it was hilarious). There were also some CRA “fun facts” that Chu revealed in his memoir that I had no idea about (for example, Chu’s daughter Willow – who was a newborn at the time -- has a “blink-and-you’ll miss it” cameo in the movie, as does CRA author Kevin Kwan’s family). Reading all this behind-the-scenes stuff made me want to go re-watch the movie again, this time as someone with more “inside knowledge” that will undoubtedly enhance the experience even further for me.
I wanted to close this review with two quotes from Chu’s memoir that resonated most with me, precisely because they reflect my own struggles as an Asian American constantly trying to reconcile the two sides of my cultural identity.
The first quote is from the chapter about CRA, where Chu talks about the significance of Rachel’s journey in the movie – he refers specifically to the scene on the staircase where Eleanor (played to wonderful effect by one of my longtime idols Michelle Yeoh) tells Rachel (a role which Constance Wu also embodied perfectly): “You will never be enough.” Chu explains how this one line of dialogue (and the brilliant way Michelle Yeoh delivered it) had the powerful effect of causing all the Asian Americans on set (including himself) to go silent because of how deeply it cuts to the core of the Asian American experience, in a way that those who’ve never had to navigate those two worlds will never understand. He writes: “Eleanor’s line and Rachel’s reaction expressed what I hadn’t been willing to express before and had rarely seen expressed by anybody else. When you grow up the way I did – torn between Asia and America, trying to shed what you are, trying to be what you’re not – the world can make you feel worthless. You’re not Asian enough. You’re not American enough. You’re not smart enough. You’re not talented enough. If you’re an Asian man, you’re not attractive enough. And then, louder than all the rest: You don’t belong here. You hear that one all the time. Everywhere.” I cried when I read this part because of how succinctly it expresses my own lifelong identity struggle.
The second quote comes later in that same chapter, when Chu talks candidly about some of the criticisms that CRA received – specifically the one where people complained that CRA simplified the complexities of the Asian culture and in presenting the insular world of wealthy Asians, it reflected an “outsider’s version of Asian life” and therefore was inauthentic (notably, the movie was slammed in many of the overseas Asian territories that screened it). Chu explains that the CRA story is about an Asian American going to Asia for the first time and we are seeing the world through her “newcomer” eyes – the movie was not meant to provide a comprehensive view of Asian culture, but rather an “Asia 101” type of glimpse into one aspect of the culture, with the hope that the opportunity to explore the “deeper layers – the true change that comes from broader awareness” can become more accessible in the future. Hearing this particular complaint gave Chu insight into what his parents went through with their restaurant, which endured similar criticisms throughout its existence. This prompted Chu to have a heartfelt conversation with his father, of which he writes: “’This is how you grew up,’ my dad told me. ‘Respecting two worlds because we are of two worlds. People who aren’t of those two worlds can’t see that’s what we’re trying to resolve.’ To make a life in this country, they had needed to find a way to integrate Asia and America….After so many years of trying to be like Spielberg and Lucas, I came into my own as a filmmaker only once I started trying to be like my parents – when I started thinking of myself as an ambassador, treating my position between two cultures as something to cherish, not something to hide or resent. They showed me how to tell stories that would open the door for other stories.”
This was an insightful memoir, one that I enjoyed not just because of the resonance from a cultural perspective, but also because of Chu’s unflinching honesty when recounting his successes and failures (whether in life or work). Chu’s passion, enthusiasm, and love for filmmaking truly shines through in this memoir -- the way he recounted his movie-making experiences as well as his encounters with various famous people (Steven Spielberg, Steve Jobs, etc.) gave me serious “kid in a candy shop” vibes; this, combined with Chu’s self-deprecating humor (which was on full display throughout the book), made his memoir a lot of fun to read.
Received ARC from Random House via NetGalley
**Note: The quotes above are from the final published copy of the book, which I ended up reading instead of the ARC version. Also, Chu and his co-writer Jeremy McCarter did an interview with Ariana Grande (hosted by bookstore Book Passage) where they provide additional insights about the memoir and their experience writing it – I would recommend watching that interview if you have access to it, as it definitely enhances the reading experience!
May 20, 2024
May 10, 2024 ARC Review:
As a Chinese-Canadian millennial, this book made me feel seen.
Jon M. Chu is a well known director, particularly amongst the Asian American and YouTube community (circa 2008). Chu's journey to becoming a filmmaker, from growing up surrounded by emerging cutting edge tech in Silicon Valley to garnering Stephen Spielberg's attention right out of college was fascinating and reminded me a lot of Spielberg's movie, The Fabelmans.
But what made me really connect with Chu were his stories about his parents, his Chinese-American upbringing, his work ethic and passion for storytelling, and finding his community amongst other Asian Americans. Although Chu and I lived in different parts of the continent with very different career paths, I found his childhood stories and insights and struggles with being Asian in America extremely relatable.
I've been a long time fan of Chu's and reading this book made me realize that I had a lot in common with him (and I'm sure many other Asian Americans/Canadians will feel the same way). Our childhoods, family dynamics, exposure to Asian American YouTubers and dance crews, and perfectionism and work ethic, all felt so familiar. I loved that he gave a shoutout to OG Asian American YouTubers Ryan Higa, Wong Fu Productions, and Kina Grannis (I would also like to mention other favourites of mine, including KevJumba and Happy Slip) and shoutout to OG ABDC Asian dance crews like Jabbawockeez and Kaba Modern (he forgot about Quest Crew!)
In many ways, I think this sparked Chu's path to making sure that Asian-Americans were represented in mainstream media, which led to the worldwide blockbuster movie, Crazy Rich Asians.
I'll be honest - Crazy Rich Asians was one of those books where I thought the movie was way better. Learning some of the behind-the-scenes of how the movie came together really made me want to rewatch the movie.
There was a lot that I loved about this book but most of all, I loved that this book was very introspective and focused a lot on Chu's personal growth and his outlook on his career and Asian-American identity. Overall, this was a fantastic memoir that I urge other Asian-Americans/Chinese millennials to read.
My only complaints with this book is:
1) Chu mentions in passing his disappointment with how poorly Jem did but doesn't really go into any details (I would prefer more details, or no mention of it at all - his mentioning of it in passing has sparked my curiosity and now I want to know more about how he feels about it and lessons learned!) I suspect Chu still hasn't fully healed from his experience with Jem and doesn't want to dwell on it.
2) the ebook formatting includes random 'blurbs' sprinkled throughout the book which throws me off whenever they appear because they disrupt the flow of the book (I also kept mistaking the blurbs as chapter headings and the mark of a new chapter...)
Along with the mainstream movies that Chu has directed, here are some additional videos for you to watch while reading this book:
Silent Beats
ACDC - The first dance
M&M Cru
ACDC - Dance Battle 2
M&M Cru Final Dance Battle
ACDC Teen Choice Awards Performance
M&M Cru Teen Choice Awards Performance
TED Talk (LXD)
LXD Trailer
LXD Oscars Performance
John Chu Keynote Speech
TED Talk - The pride and power of representation in film
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
------------------------------
If you like the following, then you might enjoy Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen or vice-versa:
------------------------------
April 1, 2024 Pre-Review:
I'm so excited to have received an ARC of this book!!!
I can count on one hand the number of Hollywood movie directors I can name, and Jon M. Chu is one of them (the others are Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, and James Cameron). I think the fact that he's a successful Chinese director who made it big in Hollywood has kept my interest - not to mention that I love his works.
I've been following Jon M. Chu's work since ~2008 (The Adam/Chu Dance Crew vs. M&M Cru YouTube Dance battle was EPIC - also, 2008 was the peak for creative YouTube content imo and this dance battle is proof of that), I loved Step-Up 2 and 3D (I had a huge crush on Adam Sevani) and I was obsessed with The League of Extraordinary Dancers. I also thought Crazy Rich Asians was one of the rare movies that ended up being way better than the book (thanks to Chu, no doubt). Not to mention that I am beyond excited for the movie adaptation of Wicked to come out later this year!
As you can tell, I'm a fan and I can't wait to get started on this book.
As a Chinese-Canadian millennial, this book made me feel seen.
When you grow up the way I did - torn between Asia and America, trying to shed what you are, trying to be what you're not - the world can make you feel worthless. You're not Asian enough. You're not American enough. You're not smart enough. You're not talented enough. If you're an Asian man, you're not attractive enough. And then, louder than all the rest: You don't belong here. You hear that one all the time. Everywhere.
Jon M. Chu is a well known director, particularly amongst the Asian American and YouTube community (circa 2008). Chu's journey to becoming a filmmaker, from growing up surrounded by emerging cutting edge tech in Silicon Valley to garnering Stephen Spielberg's attention right out of college was fascinating and reminded me a lot of Spielberg's movie, The Fabelmans.
But what made me really connect with Chu were his stories about his parents, his Chinese-American upbringing, his work ethic and passion for storytelling, and finding his community amongst other Asian Americans. Although Chu and I lived in different parts of the continent with very different career paths, I found his childhood stories and insights and struggles with being Asian in America extremely relatable.
I've been a long time fan of Chu's and reading this book made me realize that I had a lot in common with him (and I'm sure many other Asian Americans/Canadians will feel the same way). Our childhoods, family dynamics, exposure to Asian American YouTubers and dance crews, and perfectionism and work ethic, all felt so familiar. I loved that he gave a shoutout to OG Asian American YouTubers Ryan Higa, Wong Fu Productions, and Kina Grannis (I would also like to mention other favourites of mine, including KevJumba and Happy Slip) and shoutout to OG ABDC Asian dance crews like Jabbawockeez and Kaba Modern (he forgot about Quest Crew!)
Without a central organizing force, one video at a time, Asian Americans began shifting the way they were perceived by American society - and by one another. Watching those videos, reading the comments, gave me something I'd never had before: proof that other people could relate to my in-between identity. YouTube soothed my still-unresolved cultural identity crisis, the feeling that I didn't fit in with other Asians - or other Americans - that had dogged me since I was a kid. I began to understand that many, many other young Asian Americans were proud of their family heritage and eager to immerse in mainstream American culture. They - we - didn't pit one side of themselves against the other but yearned to reconcile the two.
In many ways, I think this sparked Chu's path to making sure that Asian-Americans were represented in mainstream media, which led to the worldwide blockbuster movie, Crazy Rich Asians.
It was time for the Asian Avengers to assemble.
I'll be honest - Crazy Rich Asians was one of those books where I thought the movie was way better. Learning some of the behind-the-scenes of how the movie came together really made me want to rewatch the movie.
There was a lot that I loved about this book but most of all, I loved that this book was very introspective and focused a lot on Chu's personal growth and his outlook on his career and Asian-American identity. Overall, this was a fantastic memoir that I urge other Asian-Americans/Chinese millennials to read.
My only complaints with this book is:
1) Chu mentions in passing his disappointment with how poorly Jem did but doesn't really go into any details (I would prefer more details, or no mention of it at all - his mentioning of it in passing has sparked my curiosity and now I want to know more about how he feels about it and lessons learned!) I suspect Chu still hasn't fully healed from his experience with Jem and doesn't want to dwell on it.
2) the ebook formatting includes random 'blurbs' sprinkled throughout the book which throws me off whenever they appear because they disrupt the flow of the book (I also kept mistaking the blurbs as chapter headings and the mark of a new chapter...)
Along with the mainstream movies that Chu has directed, here are some additional videos for you to watch while reading this book:
Silent Beats
ACDC - The first dance
M&M Cru
ACDC - Dance Battle 2
M&M Cru Final Dance Battle
ACDC Teen Choice Awards Performance
M&M Cru Teen Choice Awards Performance
TED Talk (LXD)
LXD Trailer
LXD Oscars Performance
John Chu Keynote Speech
TED Talk - The pride and power of representation in film
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
------------------------------
If you like the following, then you might enjoy Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen or vice-versa:
------------------------------
April 1, 2024 Pre-Review:
I'm so excited to have received an ARC of this book!!!
I can count on one hand the number of Hollywood movie directors I can name, and Jon M. Chu is one of them (the others are Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, and James Cameron). I think the fact that he's a successful Chinese director who made it big in Hollywood has kept my interest - not to mention that I love his works.
I've been following Jon M. Chu's work since ~2008 (The Adam/Chu Dance Crew vs. M&M Cru YouTube Dance battle was EPIC - also, 2008 was the peak for creative YouTube content imo and this dance battle is proof of that), I loved Step-Up 2 and 3D (I had a huge crush on Adam Sevani) and I was obsessed with The League of Extraordinary Dancers. I also thought Crazy Rich Asians was one of the rare movies that ended up being way better than the book (thanks to Chu, no doubt). Not to mention that I am beyond excited for the movie adaptation of Wicked to come out later this year!
As you can tell, I'm a fan and I can't wait to get started on this book.
May 18, 2024
THANK YOU NetGalley, Jon Chu, and Random House for this ARC. What an incredible memoir by the incredible Jon Chu! I am a fan of Jon M. Chu as an incredible filmmaker, who to date has directed "Crazy Rich Asians," "In the Heights," and "Wicked," with an anticipated adaptation for the Broadway musical set for release later this year. It should be noted he is also the genius behind Justin Bieber's Believe documentary, and many other great projects. I am now an even bigger fan after reading Mr. Chu's memoir. I was intrigued when I came across Viewfinder and loved its cover, and found it was indeed Jon M. Chu's memoir about growing up a creative, first generation Chinese American, and becoming one of Hollywood's biggest directors. Viewfinder is a page turner from beginning to beautiful epilogue ("I grew up in the future. But I do not live there anymore.") Mr. Chu is a visionary and master storyteller, both on the big screen and here in Viewfinder. This is more than a memoir, it is narration at its finest and a lens into Mr. Chu's real life, as his family's American dream evolves in real time. He navigates growing up obsessed with movies and technology, while helping his parents at Chef Chu's, their Chinese restaurant located in wealthy Silicon Valley, the tech hub of the world. Viewfinder is a fascinating, emotional read as Mr. Chu faces his own cultural identity crisis growing up as a 90's child of immigrants surrounded by both Hollywood and Silicon Valley. He sees and hears things that will enlighten the reader, and uses every project as an opportunity to learn and grow. I loved his Wizard of Oz parallels, and how he describes his Mom reminiscing of watching The Wizard of Oz growing up in Taiwan. He views it as a fairytale, just like millions of others who believed in the magic of the Wizard. I sincerely enjoyed his included photos and descriptions of his family, and the way he intertwines his memories to "try to find a better way into the future." He gives honest insight into the ups and downs of dreams and reality for movie lovers and aspiring filmmakers everywhere. Mr. Chu goes on to make his mark as a student at USC's famed film school, and shares what it was really like being discovered by Steven Spielberg when his early work in 2002 caught Mr. Spielberg's attention. After viewing his short, Mr. Spielberg decides to mentor him, bringing him into the A list of Hollywood and studio executives. What an incredible dream come true moment for a filmmaker. This week while reading Viewfinder, Mr. Chu was unintentionally caught in USC's turmoil, and as a result he was unfortunately canceled as this year's keynote speaker- through no fault of his own. I was very much looking forward to his commencement speech. Viewfinder is not all about winning at The American Dream. Mr. Chu is incredibly honest as he finds himself struggling to comprehend who he really is as his dreams become a reality. He is honest as he shares the ups and downs of both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and is hard on himself at times as his identity develops along with his storytelling. In this ever evolving world, he is still very much in the learning process. I loved Viewfinder, Mr. Chu’s honesty, and how even as a superstar director in the Top Gun elite still possesses feelings like all humans- especially about social media: "I knew it was time to log off and stay off. But the damage to my sense of self, and the kind of positive impact that I thought my work could have, had been done." Thank you, Mr. Chu, for taking your fans on your incredibly creative journey with you. We cannot wait for the sequel. 4/5
July 28, 2024
Overall, this book reminds me of Hua Hsu's "Stay True" in that the beginning is a beautiful retelling and introspection about Jon's childhood, but then the latter half feels a little underdeveloped.
This book is about three main topics:
1) The tension between old vs new (LA vs Silicon Valley)
2) Jon's experiences as a filmmaker
3) Jon grappling with his Asian American identity
Jon does a great job describing and reflecting on the first two themes, but it seems like his journey understanding his Asian American identity is still nascent (which is fine! We all have to start somewhere!).
I think there are primarily two types of audiences that would gravitate toward this book:
1) People who know Jon from Crazy Rich Asians
2) People who know Jon as a filmmaker more broadly (i.e., they know his other movies)
I would guess that's he's more well-known for CRA vs. his other movies, which is why the underdevelopment of Asian-American themes leaves more to be desired from me.
The positives:
- I really loved the first half of the book, because Jon told a really engrossing story that I just wanted to devour. I loved reading about his childhood and getting the behind-the-scenes of his film career. I love how self-deprecating he was and how he didn't shy away from showing the good, the bad, and everything in between. Jon talked about his quick ascent to filmmaking fame, only to basically crash and burn and not make a movie for many years. But I love how honest and unflinching he is in describing all of that!
- I also loved all the commentary on old vs. new and on filmmaking, because I'm not a huge film buff, but I do still love watching movies. I like his reflections on how watching a movie just isn't the same experience as watching 30-second content on your phone. This year, I watched Challengers and Inside Out 2, and both movies made me appreciate the power of how immersive and wonderful movies can be.
The meh:
- Jon is not nearly as unflinching in the Asian American sections as he is in the filmmaking sections. When he describes his parents' immigration story, he describes it as how he would set a film. I honestly found this to be the most boring part of the book - not because of the story, but because of how he told the story. It seemed like he needed to tell the story this way to put some distance between himself and his parents' immigration story instead of confronting it head on. This is another example of why I feel like he's still processing his Asian American identity.
- I would've loved to hear more about Crazy Rich Asians, since I think that's what he's most well-known for. He also briefly mentioned the Asian hate crimes that happened during Covid, but again, he covered those so quickly and it felt like he was shying away from those topics
- I was curious to know more about his wife - specifically the fact that she's white (I think? I gleaned from Googling) and he's mostly not. Was he interested in dating Asian women? How does he think about raising mixed-race children? Jon mentions a few times about how often Asian men are not seen as desirable (although has this been disputed from the last Coffee Meets Bagel survey? I only saw the headlines but I didn't dig in) -- did this come up while he was dating Kristin? Do his parents care if he dates an Asian girl or not?
- Jon and I are part of separate generations: I've noticed that in his generation, there are a lot of Asian American guys (usually guys) who start thinking more deeply about their identity in their early/mid/late 30s. Versus I think in each subsequent generation, we start thinking about identity sooner. Now, there are so many Asian American CPG companies; Korea is winning the soft power game with their skincare, kdramas, kpop, etc. --> so I think younger generations are more proud to be Asian American and Americans have accepted Asian Americans more (unless you're still saying things like China virus). No shade to Jon, because I'm happy for him that he's leaning into his identity more. But because I know about Jon because of CRA, I would've been interested in more developed perspectives on being Asian American. But I am grateful for him and CRA and all the advocacy work that he has done and hopefully will continue to do.
When I was reading the first half of this book, I was ready to give it five stars and say it was one of the best books that I've read this year. But for the second half (or starting around the time when he was coming into his Asian American identity and describing his parents' immigrant journeys), I started to feel like this book is a little lacking. Overall though, I still enjoyed reading it, and it's a fun, quick read.
This book is about three main topics:
1) The tension between old vs new (LA vs Silicon Valley)
2) Jon's experiences as a filmmaker
3) Jon grappling with his Asian American identity
Jon does a great job describing and reflecting on the first two themes, but it seems like his journey understanding his Asian American identity is still nascent (which is fine! We all have to start somewhere!).
I think there are primarily two types of audiences that would gravitate toward this book:
1) People who know Jon from Crazy Rich Asians
2) People who know Jon as a filmmaker more broadly (i.e., they know his other movies)
I would guess that's he's more well-known for CRA vs. his other movies, which is why the underdevelopment of Asian-American themes leaves more to be desired from me.
The positives:
- I really loved the first half of the book, because Jon told a really engrossing story that I just wanted to devour. I loved reading about his childhood and getting the behind-the-scenes of his film career. I love how self-deprecating he was and how he didn't shy away from showing the good, the bad, and everything in between. Jon talked about his quick ascent to filmmaking fame, only to basically crash and burn and not make a movie for many years. But I love how honest and unflinching he is in describing all of that!
- I also loved all the commentary on old vs. new and on filmmaking, because I'm not a huge film buff, but I do still love watching movies. I like his reflections on how watching a movie just isn't the same experience as watching 30-second content on your phone. This year, I watched Challengers and Inside Out 2, and both movies made me appreciate the power of how immersive and wonderful movies can be.
The meh:
- Jon is not nearly as unflinching in the Asian American sections as he is in the filmmaking sections. When he describes his parents' immigration story, he describes it as how he would set a film. I honestly found this to be the most boring part of the book - not because of the story, but because of how he told the story. It seemed like he needed to tell the story this way to put some distance between himself and his parents' immigration story instead of confronting it head on. This is another example of why I feel like he's still processing his Asian American identity.
- I would've loved to hear more about Crazy Rich Asians, since I think that's what he's most well-known for. He also briefly mentioned the Asian hate crimes that happened during Covid, but again, he covered those so quickly and it felt like he was shying away from those topics
- I was curious to know more about his wife - specifically the fact that she's white (I think? I gleaned from Googling) and he's mostly not. Was he interested in dating Asian women? How does he think about raising mixed-race children? Jon mentions a few times about how often Asian men are not seen as desirable (although has this been disputed from the last Coffee Meets Bagel survey? I only saw the headlines but I didn't dig in) -- did this come up while he was dating Kristin? Do his parents care if he dates an Asian girl or not?
- Jon and I are part of separate generations: I've noticed that in his generation, there are a lot of Asian American guys (usually guys) who start thinking more deeply about their identity in their early/mid/late 30s. Versus I think in each subsequent generation, we start thinking about identity sooner. Now, there are so many Asian American CPG companies; Korea is winning the soft power game with their skincare, kdramas, kpop, etc. --> so I think younger generations are more proud to be Asian American and Americans have accepted Asian Americans more (unless you're still saying things like China virus). No shade to Jon, because I'm happy for him that he's leaning into his identity more. But because I know about Jon because of CRA, I would've been interested in more developed perspectives on being Asian American. But I am grateful for him and CRA and all the advocacy work that he has done and hopefully will continue to do.
When I was reading the first half of this book, I was ready to give it five stars and say it was one of the best books that I've read this year. But for the second half (or starting around the time when he was coming into his Asian American identity and describing his parents' immigrant journeys), I started to feel like this book is a little lacking. Overall though, I still enjoyed reading it, and it's a fun, quick read.
August 25, 2024
“It was time for the Asian Avengers to assemble.”
~Jon M. Chu
Excellent biography read. Like him, he represents all those of us who are “too American” and “not Asian enough.”
What he discovered is, that he is Rachael Chu from “Crazy Rich Asians.” He brilliantly added three pivotal scenes that enriched Kevin Kwan’s novel.
Jon M. Chu talked about his highs and lows and how he found himself through the movies and defying expectations.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
~Jon M. Chu
Excellent biography read. Like him, he represents all those of us who are “too American” and “not Asian enough.”
What he discovered is, that he is Rachael Chu from “Crazy Rich Asians.” He brilliantly added three pivotal scenes that enriched Kevin Kwan’s novel.
Jon M. Chu talked about his highs and lows and how he found himself through the movies and defying expectations.
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Shelved as '2024'
May 30, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House
August 19, 2024
This is one of the best books I've read in biographies since Michelle Obama's "Becoming". Joyful and personal. Jon Chu takes us into his family and on a journey. Growing up in Silcon Valley is not the same for all families. Jon lives in the future. I loved the story of his family and the restaurant and how it grew after much sacrifice and nearly closing. Meeting his older siblings and the roles they played in how he looks at life, especially through Howard's eyes. Learning to make films at UCLA and getting to meet his hero Steven Spielberg, lucky change. By now you think Jon has it made. I appreciated the way he tells his story including how the pandemic hit "In The Heights", the movie-goer experience and his world view very hard.
Highly recommend it.
Highly recommend it.
May 10, 2024
I loved this memoir and felt it was really well done. Jon M. Chu talks about his childhood growing up in Silicon Valley, his lifelong love of movie making, his struggles grappling with his identity and it's impact on the choices he made in his career. I connected deeply with Jon's story because of the parallels with my own life - growing up in the bay area, being distinctly Asian American and reconciling both parts of that identity, being an early adopter of YouTube and finding myself in the Asian American creators that were early utilizers of the platform. However, even without these parallels I think Jon's experience and the insight we get into the behind-the-scenes of some of his widely popular films makes this memoir such an engaging read.
September 2, 2024
*thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an eARC in exchange for my review*
I think Jon Chu is a modern hero. I am so moved by his storytelling and his desire to empower others to tell their stories too. His memoir reads like a movie, which is no surprise. I was swept away with the tales of his childhood in Silicon Valley and his uphill climb through film school. But his story only gets more inspiring and challenging as it keeps progressing. (Though he might disagree if he heard me say so. Self-important he is not.)
Upon seeing Crazy Rich Asians, Chu’s groundbreaking 2018 film, my life was forever changed. Sitting with my husband in a Wisconsin movie theater where I was likely (and still am typically) the only Asian present, seeing someone that looked like me on the big screen that voiced feelings like my own was an experience that unlocked parts of me that I had previously shut away. And while Crazy Rich Asians is just one chapter in Chu’s life, it’s the one that has impacted mine the most.
Reading about how he wanted his viewers to feel during the film confirmed that—even though most of my friends saw the film as just a charming romcom—there was something deeper and bigger at the film’s core. The reason why I weep every time I watch it. A message about straddling two worlds and two value systems and not having to choose, but making a new way. A way that honors and empowers. A way that puts us in the driver’s seat for whatever happens next.
The whole of Chu’s story, as he presents it, builds up to the idea that our gift is to embrace all the parts of ourselves—especially the parts that we think are too messy or vulnerable or even too pointed to share—and use all of those parts to frame our own unique perspective on life and the world around us.
Chu presents a unique Asian American story, and it inspires me to climb into the driver’s seat and tell my own unique Asian American story. While I’m certainly not on my way to becoming a filmmaker, I have my own voice and way of seeing the world. And I hope that the way I voice my own perspective will someday move someone the way Chu has moved me.
I think Jon Chu is a modern hero. I am so moved by his storytelling and his desire to empower others to tell their stories too. His memoir reads like a movie, which is no surprise. I was swept away with the tales of his childhood in Silicon Valley and his uphill climb through film school. But his story only gets more inspiring and challenging as it keeps progressing. (Though he might disagree if he heard me say so. Self-important he is not.)
Upon seeing Crazy Rich Asians, Chu’s groundbreaking 2018 film, my life was forever changed. Sitting with my husband in a Wisconsin movie theater where I was likely (and still am typically) the only Asian present, seeing someone that looked like me on the big screen that voiced feelings like my own was an experience that unlocked parts of me that I had previously shut away. And while Crazy Rich Asians is just one chapter in Chu’s life, it’s the one that has impacted mine the most.
Reading about how he wanted his viewers to feel during the film confirmed that—even though most of my friends saw the film as just a charming romcom—there was something deeper and bigger at the film’s core. The reason why I weep every time I watch it. A message about straddling two worlds and two value systems and not having to choose, but making a new way. A way that honors and empowers. A way that puts us in the driver’s seat for whatever happens next.
The whole of Chu’s story, as he presents it, builds up to the idea that our gift is to embrace all the parts of ourselves—especially the parts that we think are too messy or vulnerable or even too pointed to share—and use all of those parts to frame our own unique perspective on life and the world around us.
Chu presents a unique Asian American story, and it inspires me to climb into the driver’s seat and tell my own unique Asian American story. While I’m certainly not on my way to becoming a filmmaker, I have my own voice and way of seeing the world. And I hope that the way I voice my own perspective will someday move someone the way Chu has moved me.
September 13, 2024
This was fine. Mostly well written. But the story blatantly glosses over bad things in Mr Chu's life.
I'm a bit older than our star of the story but I have eaten at his parents restaurant and they are far from a broke family business. The family is a pillar of the community. The kids went to a very expensive, very elite, very prestigious high school. It is that kind of school. Chu's mom once said he was not doing real homework at that school. Anyway, the whole book he acts like he was brought up by people who could barely keep the lights on. At the same time having season tickets to the SF Ballet and Orchestra - the kind of seats that if you were not rich and let your children run amuck you would not be offered those seats next season. So that kind of rich.
Mr Jon M. Chu is the youngest of the family and it shows. He keeps doing all this dumb stuff and getting away with it suffering little consequences. Even after he makes it to Hollywood he continues to get away with crap that would get others unemployed. But from reading the book you would think everyone was against him. The world was out to stop him making movies! His vision!
He is so focused on the "Me, me, me" thing that he turns down a Netflix 3 movie deal. Which really hurts his "people" when Mr Chu decides to take the WB deal with a rather racist (big budget cut!) how dare you talk to Nexflix hit. He was so in his own bubble he white washed In the Heights. But the problem was that he took a stage musical and tried to improve it. The movie version was just not as good as the stage production. Then expecting people to risk COVID to watch his movie and not watch it on MAX is disheartening. There are then a few pages where he sounds exactly like one of those "big shots" he mocks earlier in the book. At this point I'm thinking he really should have taken the Netflix deal as we see what happened at HBO Max / WB soon after.
Just remember this is really a cleaned up story and really reads like an advertisement for his next movie Wicked! Its not a bad read, but I grew up in the same area a few years ahead of him so I see him and his but I'm the baby world view.
I'm a bit older than our star of the story but I have eaten at his parents restaurant and they are far from a broke family business. The family is a pillar of the community. The kids went to a very expensive, very elite, very prestigious high school. It is that kind of school. Chu's mom once said he was not doing real homework at that school. Anyway, the whole book he acts like he was brought up by people who could barely keep the lights on. At the same time having season tickets to the SF Ballet and Orchestra - the kind of seats that if you were not rich and let your children run amuck you would not be offered those seats next season. So that kind of rich.
Mr Jon M. Chu is the youngest of the family and it shows. He keeps doing all this dumb stuff and getting away with it suffering little consequences. Even after he makes it to Hollywood he continues to get away with crap that would get others unemployed. But from reading the book you would think everyone was against him. The world was out to stop him making movies! His vision!
He is so focused on the "Me, me, me" thing that he turns down a Netflix 3 movie deal. Which really hurts his "people" when Mr Chu decides to take the WB deal with a rather racist (big budget cut!) how dare you talk to Nexflix hit. He was so in his own bubble he white washed In the Heights. But the problem was that he took a stage musical and tried to improve it. The movie version was just not as good as the stage production. Then expecting people to risk COVID to watch his movie and not watch it on MAX is disheartening. There are then a few pages where he sounds exactly like one of those "big shots" he mocks earlier in the book. At this point I'm thinking he really should have taken the Netflix deal as we see what happened at HBO Max / WB soon after.
Just remember this is really a cleaned up story and really reads like an advertisement for his next movie Wicked! Its not a bad read, but I grew up in the same area a few years ahead of him so I see him and his but I'm the baby world view.
September 22, 2024
Jon M. Chu (b. 1979) is a first generation Chinese-American filmmaker best well-known for directing the 2016 film Crazy Rich Asians and the upcoming two-part film series based off the Broadway musical Wicked. In his memoir, cowritten with Jeremy McCarter, he explores his complicated feelings about his Asian-American heritage, reminisces about growing up in Silicon Valley, and traces the ups and downs of his directorial career. The writing style is vivid, creative, and engaging, and though I'd never heard of Chu before picking up this book (I rarely watch movies except on airplanes, where I do recall seeing Crazy Rich Asians), I found this memoir quite interesting. Though no one's self-discovery and self-acceptance journey is ever fully complete, it does sound like he's made strides in reconciling his various identities.
Further reading:
The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard (another child actor-turned-director)
My statistics:
Book 218 for 2024
Book 1821 cumulatively
Further reading:
The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard (another child actor-turned-director)
My statistics:
Book 218 for 2024
Book 1821 cumulatively
September 25, 2024
"Once you see the world as it really is - and really was - you have a chance of helping it to become what it might be."
Viewfinder is one of the best memoirs that I've read to date. I didn't know much about the author, aside from being "the Crazy Rich Asians guy", but so much about what he wrote about resonated in this cohesive biography.
From how his upbringing in his parents' restaurant in Silicon Valley changed his worldview to being inspired by and meeting Steve Jobs and working with Steven Spielberg, the intersection of technology and storytelling is a natural thoroughfare that runs throughout this book. Beyond that, Viewfinder explores familiar identity questions from a refreshing point of view, where the author suggests how taking ownership in how you present yourself can be a more important and effective angle to respond than simply challenging the way others represent your community.
Finally, the chapter where he describes how he'd shoot a movie about his parents' story was a highlight, totally immersive and unique.
Viewfinder is one of the best memoirs that I've read to date. I didn't know much about the author, aside from being "the Crazy Rich Asians guy", but so much about what he wrote about resonated in this cohesive biography.
From how his upbringing in his parents' restaurant in Silicon Valley changed his worldview to being inspired by and meeting Steve Jobs and working with Steven Spielberg, the intersection of technology and storytelling is a natural thoroughfare that runs throughout this book. Beyond that, Viewfinder explores familiar identity questions from a refreshing point of view, where the author suggests how taking ownership in how you present yourself can be a more important and effective angle to respond than simply challenging the way others represent your community.
Finally, the chapter where he describes how he'd shoot a movie about his parents' story was a highlight, totally immersive and unique.
August 24, 2024
I bought this book not because Jon Chu is a Hollywood director but because the restaurant named for his father is two blocks from where my dad and grandfather had an office when we first moved to Palo Alto in 1973. The parts about Jon's choices as a director were good but the parts about his family and the restaurant felt like home.
April 30, 2024
I've been a fan of Chu's directing since I saw Crazy Rich Asians. He brought the same passion he brings to directing into telling his story in this memoir. His story telling is very engaging. Like Crazy Rich Asians, I found Chu's struggle of straddling two identities very relatable on a personal level. I also appreciate Chu's willingness to call out the lack of diversity in Hollywood and his willingness to listen when his own personal efforts fall short. I can't wait to see what he does with Wicked.
I received and ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received and ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
August 13, 2024
Just as he received very mixed reviews for most of his movies, this memoir is (to put it in terms of his family restaurant upbringing) a mixed bag of tossed salad that has some odd ingredients. There are some good insights for aspiring filmmakers combined with very little depth regarding his family background or the making of his films, topped off by some boring over-analysis of how he needs to change his life to have an impact on the world.
Some of it is really dull, especially the opening section about his upbringing, because he seems to have had a stable, functional family in a very rich, tech-savvy San Francico suburb. He hints at feeling bits of racism but doesn't give many examples, at one point absurdly claiming that when the San Jose Civic Light Opera was auditioning him for Pacific Overtures "there weren't many" young Asian boys in the area that would qualify for the role. In the San Francisco area where 34% of the residents are Asian and only 38% are white non-Hispanic? Then he tells us that 30% of his class is Asian? Come on, Jon, there were plenty of kids that could have played that single child's part.
It's difficult to feel sorry for a guy who slowly acquires internal rage at how his culture is treated when Asians match whites in population and minorities rule his home metropolitan area. Chu wants us to feel bad for him, but he's raised in a suburb filled with overeducated engineers earning ten times what the average home makes.
Steve Jobs, his personal hero and role model to the point Chu memorizes Jobs' talks, eats at his dad's restaurant. The author wants to do everything the way rebel Jobs did, quoting the Apple leader as saying, "It's better to be a pirate than join the navy." But pirates are rare, do bad things that hurt others, often get killed, and have to follow a leader the same way any military guy or office worker does! Steve Jobs got fired, had some very difficult family relationships, was reportedly an insensitive jerk that would hurt people, and died young--so much for the positives of being a pirate!
Chu's perspective on many things is unconventional, and I don't agree with some of what he writes. It can be as simple as his saying that when he took a job directing in London it was "on the other side of the planet" from Los Angeles. Seriously? L.A. to London is close to the same flight distance as New York City to Honolulu, that's not halfway around the world.
I did like that Chu took a couple of paragraphs to allude to his (temporary) Christian faith in high school and college. He went to Bible study and church, unlike the rest of his non-believing family, but balked when he hit L.A. where Christianity was too "fundamentalist." Or maybe Jon just suddenly wanted to live a wilder single adult life away from home, so no longer needed the comfort or guilt that comes with faith?
It's when he gets to Hollywood that the issue of skin color and racism really rears its ugly head. Yes, not in middle America or MAGA country, but in Tinseltown he feels constantly put down due to looking different from others. So the rest of the book becomes a struggle between the American that he was raised to be (loving Bye Bye Birdie and all sorts of totally-white movies or TV shows) and the cultural representative that he wants to be in the new media age.
He seems to overlook the fact that it's because of his Asian heritage that he attracts the interest of people like Steve Spielberg. Chu makes a minor film school movie that wouldn't have gotten any white guy noticed by the famous director. But Spielberg mentors Chu, helping him score a large development deal for directing musicals. When after a few years none of those happen and the golden boy is embarrassed and depressed, going back to square one and trying to create a new image of himself.
He quickly runs through the mainly-sequel movies he is allowed to direct. There is zero detail about making any of them, so if you want some behind the scenes stories you won't get any. There are two of his films he only alludes to in one sentence each! Not until Crazy Rich Asians does the writer go into depth on the process of creating a unique film. That should have happened with all of the other movies in the book.
After his Crazy Rich Asians success, he pivots again due to his fame, directs In The Heights just before Covid hits, and is placed back into a tailspin when the pandemic messes with the release of the movie. The studio premieres it in on HBO Max the same day it goes into theaters, Chu feels betrayed, and starts overanalyzing everything again.
To compare it to his dad's cooking, this book is filled with sweet and sour. I admire his very strong pro-family and pro-life sentiments, but there is not enough sweet here and way too much sour. It might be flavorful at first but can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Oh, and about Wicked? This book is obviously timed to be released the year Wicked Part One is coming out, but there are only a few paragraphs about it. Again, Chu disappoints in not going into depth regarding all of his works while using his viewfinder to focus in on shouldering the fight for Asians to be seen and heard in cinema.
Some of it is really dull, especially the opening section about his upbringing, because he seems to have had a stable, functional family in a very rich, tech-savvy San Francico suburb. He hints at feeling bits of racism but doesn't give many examples, at one point absurdly claiming that when the San Jose Civic Light Opera was auditioning him for Pacific Overtures "there weren't many" young Asian boys in the area that would qualify for the role. In the San Francisco area where 34% of the residents are Asian and only 38% are white non-Hispanic? Then he tells us that 30% of his class is Asian? Come on, Jon, there were plenty of kids that could have played that single child's part.
It's difficult to feel sorry for a guy who slowly acquires internal rage at how his culture is treated when Asians match whites in population and minorities rule his home metropolitan area. Chu wants us to feel bad for him, but he's raised in a suburb filled with overeducated engineers earning ten times what the average home makes.
Steve Jobs, his personal hero and role model to the point Chu memorizes Jobs' talks, eats at his dad's restaurant. The author wants to do everything the way rebel Jobs did, quoting the Apple leader as saying, "It's better to be a pirate than join the navy." But pirates are rare, do bad things that hurt others, often get killed, and have to follow a leader the same way any military guy or office worker does! Steve Jobs got fired, had some very difficult family relationships, was reportedly an insensitive jerk that would hurt people, and died young--so much for the positives of being a pirate!
Chu's perspective on many things is unconventional, and I don't agree with some of what he writes. It can be as simple as his saying that when he took a job directing in London it was "on the other side of the planet" from Los Angeles. Seriously? L.A. to London is close to the same flight distance as New York City to Honolulu, that's not halfway around the world.
I did like that Chu took a couple of paragraphs to allude to his (temporary) Christian faith in high school and college. He went to Bible study and church, unlike the rest of his non-believing family, but balked when he hit L.A. where Christianity was too "fundamentalist." Or maybe Jon just suddenly wanted to live a wilder single adult life away from home, so no longer needed the comfort or guilt that comes with faith?
It's when he gets to Hollywood that the issue of skin color and racism really rears its ugly head. Yes, not in middle America or MAGA country, but in Tinseltown he feels constantly put down due to looking different from others. So the rest of the book becomes a struggle between the American that he was raised to be (loving Bye Bye Birdie and all sorts of totally-white movies or TV shows) and the cultural representative that he wants to be in the new media age.
He seems to overlook the fact that it's because of his Asian heritage that he attracts the interest of people like Steve Spielberg. Chu makes a minor film school movie that wouldn't have gotten any white guy noticed by the famous director. But Spielberg mentors Chu, helping him score a large development deal for directing musicals. When after a few years none of those happen and the golden boy is embarrassed and depressed, going back to square one and trying to create a new image of himself.
He quickly runs through the mainly-sequel movies he is allowed to direct. There is zero detail about making any of them, so if you want some behind the scenes stories you won't get any. There are two of his films he only alludes to in one sentence each! Not until Crazy Rich Asians does the writer go into depth on the process of creating a unique film. That should have happened with all of the other movies in the book.
After his Crazy Rich Asians success, he pivots again due to his fame, directs In The Heights just before Covid hits, and is placed back into a tailspin when the pandemic messes with the release of the movie. The studio premieres it in on HBO Max the same day it goes into theaters, Chu feels betrayed, and starts overanalyzing everything again.
To compare it to his dad's cooking, this book is filled with sweet and sour. I admire his very strong pro-family and pro-life sentiments, but there is not enough sweet here and way too much sour. It might be flavorful at first but can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Oh, and about Wicked? This book is obviously timed to be released the year Wicked Part One is coming out, but there are only a few paragraphs about it. Again, Chu disappoints in not going into depth regarding all of his works while using his viewfinder to focus in on shouldering the fight for Asians to be seen and heard in cinema.
Want to read
June 8, 2024have not received (won) my copy yet
May 24, 2024
Jon M. Chu's Viewfinder is a captivating and inspiring journey through the life of a visionary director who has significantly impacted Hollywood. Known for his work on Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights, and the upcoming Wicked, Chu's memoir delves into his early life as a first-generation Chinese American, his cultural challenges, and his ascent in the film industry.
From the outset, Chu paints a vivid picture of his upbringing in Silicon Valley, assisting at his parents' Chinese restaurant while grappling with a cultural identity crisis common among children of immigrants. This background provides the foundation for his creative pursuits and eventual success. The memoir does an excellent job of exploring how growing up amidst rapid technological advancement influenced his filmmaking career and how Steven Spielberg's discovery was a turning point.
Chu's storytelling is engaging, marked by striking candor and insight. He offers a compelling account of the intersection of Silicon Valley and Hollywood, sharing personal anecdotes and professional milestones with equal aplomb. His reflections on identity, belonging, and creativity are deeply resonant, especially for readers who share similar cultural backgrounds or creative aspirations.
One of the memoir's strengths is Chu's willingness to address the lack of diversity in Hollywood. He doesn't shy away from acknowledging his own shortcomings and expresses a genuine commitment to improving representation in the industry. This aspect of his narrative is particularly inspiring and demonstrates his dedication to creating more inclusive spaces both on and off-screen.
However, one area where the memoir could have been more satisfying is in its treatment of the film Jem and the Holograms. Chu briefly mentions his disappointment with the film's reception but doesn't delve into the details. This passing reference piques curiosity but leaves readers wanting more. A deeper exploration of this experience and the lessons learned from it would have added another layer of depth to the memoir. It seems that Chu might still be processing this part of his career, which is understandable but also somewhat frustrating for readers eager for a comprehensive view of his journey.
Despite this minor shortcoming, Viewfinder is a remarkable memoir. Chu's narrative is relatable, especially to those who have navigated the complexities of dual identities. His story of growing up in the Bay Area, engaging with early YouTube culture, and finding a sense of belonging through creativity is both moving and motivating. The behind-the-scenes insights into his popular films add an extra dimension of intrigue, making this memoir a must-read for fans and aspiring filmmakers alike.
In conclusion, Jon M. Chu's Viewfinder is a powerful testament to the power of perseverance, self-discovery, and creative expression. It's a memoir that not only tells the story of a successful director but also speaks to anyone striving to find their place in the world. Whether you're familiar with Chu's films or new to his work, this book offers valuable lessons and an inspiring narrative that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
From the outset, Chu paints a vivid picture of his upbringing in Silicon Valley, assisting at his parents' Chinese restaurant while grappling with a cultural identity crisis common among children of immigrants. This background provides the foundation for his creative pursuits and eventual success. The memoir does an excellent job of exploring how growing up amidst rapid technological advancement influenced his filmmaking career and how Steven Spielberg's discovery was a turning point.
Chu's storytelling is engaging, marked by striking candor and insight. He offers a compelling account of the intersection of Silicon Valley and Hollywood, sharing personal anecdotes and professional milestones with equal aplomb. His reflections on identity, belonging, and creativity are deeply resonant, especially for readers who share similar cultural backgrounds or creative aspirations.
One of the memoir's strengths is Chu's willingness to address the lack of diversity in Hollywood. He doesn't shy away from acknowledging his own shortcomings and expresses a genuine commitment to improving representation in the industry. This aspect of his narrative is particularly inspiring and demonstrates his dedication to creating more inclusive spaces both on and off-screen.
However, one area where the memoir could have been more satisfying is in its treatment of the film Jem and the Holograms. Chu briefly mentions his disappointment with the film's reception but doesn't delve into the details. This passing reference piques curiosity but leaves readers wanting more. A deeper exploration of this experience and the lessons learned from it would have added another layer of depth to the memoir. It seems that Chu might still be processing this part of his career, which is understandable but also somewhat frustrating for readers eager for a comprehensive view of his journey.
Despite this minor shortcoming, Viewfinder is a remarkable memoir. Chu's narrative is relatable, especially to those who have navigated the complexities of dual identities. His story of growing up in the Bay Area, engaging with early YouTube culture, and finding a sense of belonging through creativity is both moving and motivating. The behind-the-scenes insights into his popular films add an extra dimension of intrigue, making this memoir a must-read for fans and aspiring filmmakers alike.
In conclusion, Jon M. Chu's Viewfinder is a powerful testament to the power of perseverance, self-discovery, and creative expression. It's a memoir that not only tells the story of a successful director but also speaks to anyone striving to find their place in the world. Whether you're familiar with Chu's films or new to his work, this book offers valuable lessons and an inspiring narrative that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
July 4, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!
For better or worse, Jon M. Chu’s Viewfinder is a memoir constructed like a biopic, offering bombast, palatable revelations, and a protagonist that is likable to a fault.
With the forthcoming release of the Wicked movies, there’s never been a better time for this book. Despite helming a few massive commercial successes, Chu has been a bit of an enigma, largely remaining—or being contained—behind the scenes. His early career was as a journeyman director for big-budget sequels, and that status carried into Crazy Rich Asians, even when the movie itself showcased a distinctive vision. Viewfinder attempts to find some continuity between each of Chu’s projects, though it’s at its best when it doesn’t.
Parts of this book are exceptional, particularly the chapters surrounding the development and production of Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights. They showcase the intentionality that Chu brings to projects that could easily be big, dumb fun. He cares. This is clearest in his description of a bidding war between Netflix and Warner Bros for Crazy Rich Asians. Although Netflix was the “smarter” choice, Chu opted for the latter’s lowball offer because of the symbolic heft of the studio’s legacy and the theatrical experience. He’s just a guy who loves movies and what they mean. Each time Viewfinder offers these glimmers of something personal, it shines. Chu has so many unmade passion projects, and his humility is admirable. I mean, he chose to direct Step Up 2 because he decided his mother’s judgment was better than Steven Spielberg’s.
But a lot of this book just doesn’t work.
Many of the critiques leveled at Chu’s movies are true of Viewfinder—it’s an effective, stylish pastiche of familiar narrative beats. We see a Forrest Gump-like charmed life where famous people populate the margins and hard work always pays off. I don’t fault Chu for this issue—I think the problem originates with his cowriter, Jeremy McCarter. There are too many moments where readers can feel strained attempts to add connective tissue that simply isn’t there. For example, Chu’s excitement about technology is contorted into prophetic insight about the role of the internet. One gets the sense that McCarter refuses to allow many of these life details to just “be”—they always need to constellate into a simple connect-the-dots pattern. Readers are then presented with dueling images—the Jon Chu whose career has been driven by creative risks and a scrappy, excited exploration, and the fully-formed cinematic genius whose life is essentially promo for Wicked.
It’s a strange feeling to wish a book were a little rougher around the edges, but that's the case here. If you’re interested in movies, it’s a good time; if you’re interested in Jon M. Chu, you won’t necessarily see too much of him in this Viewfinder.
For better or worse, Jon M. Chu’s Viewfinder is a memoir constructed like a biopic, offering bombast, palatable revelations, and a protagonist that is likable to a fault.
With the forthcoming release of the Wicked movies, there’s never been a better time for this book. Despite helming a few massive commercial successes, Chu has been a bit of an enigma, largely remaining—or being contained—behind the scenes. His early career was as a journeyman director for big-budget sequels, and that status carried into Crazy Rich Asians, even when the movie itself showcased a distinctive vision. Viewfinder attempts to find some continuity between each of Chu’s projects, though it’s at its best when it doesn’t.
Parts of this book are exceptional, particularly the chapters surrounding the development and production of Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights. They showcase the intentionality that Chu brings to projects that could easily be big, dumb fun. He cares. This is clearest in his description of a bidding war between Netflix and Warner Bros for Crazy Rich Asians. Although Netflix was the “smarter” choice, Chu opted for the latter’s lowball offer because of the symbolic heft of the studio’s legacy and the theatrical experience. He’s just a guy who loves movies and what they mean. Each time Viewfinder offers these glimmers of something personal, it shines. Chu has so many unmade passion projects, and his humility is admirable. I mean, he chose to direct Step Up 2 because he decided his mother’s judgment was better than Steven Spielberg’s.
But a lot of this book just doesn’t work.
Many of the critiques leveled at Chu’s movies are true of Viewfinder—it’s an effective, stylish pastiche of familiar narrative beats. We see a Forrest Gump-like charmed life where famous people populate the margins and hard work always pays off. I don’t fault Chu for this issue—I think the problem originates with his cowriter, Jeremy McCarter. There are too many moments where readers can feel strained attempts to add connective tissue that simply isn’t there. For example, Chu’s excitement about technology is contorted into prophetic insight about the role of the internet. One gets the sense that McCarter refuses to allow many of these life details to just “be”—they always need to constellate into a simple connect-the-dots pattern. Readers are then presented with dueling images—the Jon Chu whose career has been driven by creative risks and a scrappy, excited exploration, and the fully-formed cinematic genius whose life is essentially promo for Wicked.
It’s a strange feeling to wish a book were a little rougher around the edges, but that's the case here. If you’re interested in movies, it’s a good time; if you’re interested in Jon M. Chu, you won’t necessarily see too much of him in this Viewfinder.
September 17, 2024
Jon Chu is defying gravity for filmmaking. No, literally.
He’s the creative mastermind behind some of Hollywood’s most visually stunning movies that we all know and love – Step Up 2, Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never documentary, Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights to name just a few – along with Wicked’s highly-anticipated release this fall. VIEWFINDER was not only a front row look at how Chu’s upbringing in Silicon Valley intertwined with his career kickstart in Hollywood, but was also a beautiful tribute about acceptance and identity and how Chu’s identity has played a huge role in every step of his career.
Crazy Rich Asians is one of my go-to movies so I loved the chapter that delved into making the movie and how certain scenes and characters were inspired by Chu’s own family. By bringing Asian-American representation to life on the big screen, Chu solidified his sense of identity as a filmmaker and carved space for other Asian-American storytellers and actors in a production that would (and still does) stand the test of time. My favorite chapter was the one about Chu’s family and his vision of his family’s story if it were to ever appear on the big screen, about his parents first meeting and starting up Chef Chu’s and how he would render it as a director. I hope we get to see that someday because I’ll be the first in line.
It’s a full circle moment to learn about Chu’s beginning days with productions like “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Moxie” never getting the greenlight but knowing that Wicked is right around the corner. Chu is behind some of the World’s most cherished films so far and I’m excited to see what else he does in his illustrious career. I admire his work to bring underrepresented groups to the big screen while using his platform to push Hollywood to do better. We need more filmmakers with the guts, creativity and passion like Chu.
He’s the creative mastermind behind some of Hollywood’s most visually stunning movies that we all know and love – Step Up 2, Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never documentary, Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights to name just a few – along with Wicked’s highly-anticipated release this fall. VIEWFINDER was not only a front row look at how Chu’s upbringing in Silicon Valley intertwined with his career kickstart in Hollywood, but was also a beautiful tribute about acceptance and identity and how Chu’s identity has played a huge role in every step of his career.
Crazy Rich Asians is one of my go-to movies so I loved the chapter that delved into making the movie and how certain scenes and characters were inspired by Chu’s own family. By bringing Asian-American representation to life on the big screen, Chu solidified his sense of identity as a filmmaker and carved space for other Asian-American storytellers and actors in a production that would (and still does) stand the test of time. My favorite chapter was the one about Chu’s family and his vision of his family’s story if it were to ever appear on the big screen, about his parents first meeting and starting up Chef Chu’s and how he would render it as a director. I hope we get to see that someday because I’ll be the first in line.
It’s a full circle moment to learn about Chu’s beginning days with productions like “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Moxie” never getting the greenlight but knowing that Wicked is right around the corner. Chu is behind some of the World’s most cherished films so far and I’m excited to see what else he does in his illustrious career. I admire his work to bring underrepresented groups to the big screen while using his platform to push Hollywood to do better. We need more filmmakers with the guts, creativity and passion like Chu.
September 5, 2024
What led me to select this book was...well movies are bad, now. Like really bad. It feels like when Netflix was first starting. It feels like daytime drama bad. It'd odd he's written a book before his major career masterpiece is being released, rather than a retrospective on his career, as an entirety; a career that hasn't ended yet.
I could just be excited for Wicked, because the studio had made a big marketing push. literally almost a year. It comes out in November, and marketing started in March. As I said, movies suck right now, and Wicked seems like the only one now that isn't a CGI mess, with real care put into it.
This book is just a promotional piece, just like Simu Liu's book coming out, after he did Shang Chi. So, treating this memoir has promotional material, not expecting a lot of substance, I was pleasantly surprised.
I loved hearing about his family. It's nice to see a different kind of immigrant story, which parents who encourage whatever weird dreams. It was nice to see him talk about using his art to sort out his identity, especially in posh USC. While, after getting to Step Up 2, it got boring, I still enjoyed the behind the scenes peak. When he gets mainstream recognition, the writing got bland, because he obviously can't complain too much, or risk future alienation. And the Jen and the Holograms mess was glossed over.
Still, for aspiring movie makers, I recommend!
I could just be excited for Wicked, because the studio had made a big marketing push. literally almost a year. It comes out in November, and marketing started in March. As I said, movies suck right now, and Wicked seems like the only one now that isn't a CGI mess, with real care put into it.
This book is just a promotional piece, just like Simu Liu's book coming out, after he did Shang Chi. So, treating this memoir has promotional material, not expecting a lot of substance, I was pleasantly surprised.
I loved hearing about his family. It's nice to see a different kind of immigrant story, which parents who encourage whatever weird dreams. It was nice to see him talk about using his art to sort out his identity, especially in posh USC. While, after getting to Step Up 2, it got boring, I still enjoyed the behind the scenes peak. When he gets mainstream recognition, the writing got bland, because he obviously can't complain too much, or risk future alienation. And the Jen and the Holograms mess was glossed over.
Still, for aspiring movie makers, I recommend!
August 31, 2024
I didn’t want this book to end. I did not expect a Hollywood memoir to make me tear up multiple times. Jon’s story is so beautifully told (by himself and co-author Jeremy McCarter).
There is so much kindness, heart, and good intentions in these pages. It’s very Hollywood inside baseball, but it’s not gossipy. Instead, Jon shares how lions of the industry such as Spielberg and Jobs have been kind to him. It’s wonderful to see him grow and change as a filmmaker throughout this book as he figures out what he has to say and to offer the world. We experience his failures and his triumphs alongside him, and he is someone who is so easy to continue rooting for.
The chapter where he tells his parents’ love story as if he’s making a movie about it is an absolute joy to read, and I loved that we got a full chapter of behind-the-scenes on Crazy Rich Asians. I really, really hope he gets to, and wants to, make the long-overdue sequels. But even if he doesn’t, I will be so excited to see what he makes after Wicked. I was already a fan (I am so glad he brought up the Adam Chu Dance Crew; such a hit of nostalgia feels!), but this book cemented it.
There is so much kindness, heart, and good intentions in these pages. It’s very Hollywood inside baseball, but it’s not gossipy. Instead, Jon shares how lions of the industry such as Spielberg and Jobs have been kind to him. It’s wonderful to see him grow and change as a filmmaker throughout this book as he figures out what he has to say and to offer the world. We experience his failures and his triumphs alongside him, and he is someone who is so easy to continue rooting for.
The chapter where he tells his parents’ love story as if he’s making a movie about it is an absolute joy to read, and I loved that we got a full chapter of behind-the-scenes on Crazy Rich Asians. I really, really hope he gets to, and wants to, make the long-overdue sequels. But even if he doesn’t, I will be so excited to see what he makes after Wicked. I was already a fan (I am so glad he brought up the Adam Chu Dance Crew; such a hit of nostalgia feels!), but this book cemented it.
July 20, 2024
A quick memoir read into the life of director Jon M Chu. I enjoyed different stories about his family and the talk about his time on Crazy Rich Asians and how it helped him in accepting the power of being fully himself in life and Hollywood. One of the things that I didn’t enjoy so much were the random boxes that would appear in the middle of the text to add in another quick story that didn’t fit in at the moment. It interrupted the flow of each chapter and I found myself confused as to whether I was supposed to stop to read them or come back to them after finishing the chapter. I also found myself wanting Chu to dig just a bit deeper. There were all these moments in the book where it felt like he was about to be very open and honest about moments in his life or career and then it would stop right at the surface. In the end the memoir read more as a marketing tool for Wicked which is Chu’s upcoming project that studios have put a lot of money into. 3.5 stars/5 rounded up for Goodreads
June 10, 2024
I received a digital ARC from the publisher (Random House) through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting insight into Jon Chu's early life and its influences on his films. Besides Crazy Rich Asians, I did not know the details of his early career or how he first got started. I also learned more about the intricacies of movie-making and the impact of streaming services on the movie industry. Having a front row seat and getting to take a closer look at some of the decisions made for Crazy Rich Asians was one of my favorite sections of the book. I am now even more eagerly anticipating the release of the film version of Wicked (the musical). I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the process of directing films, anyone who wants some "behind the scenes" into the making of Crazy Rich Asians, and anyone looking for a story about finding your way and artistic expression.
This was an interesting insight into Jon Chu's early life and its influences on his films. Besides Crazy Rich Asians, I did not know the details of his early career or how he first got started. I also learned more about the intricacies of movie-making and the impact of streaming services on the movie industry. Having a front row seat and getting to take a closer look at some of the decisions made for Crazy Rich Asians was one of my favorite sections of the book. I am now even more eagerly anticipating the release of the film version of Wicked (the musical). I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the process of directing films, anyone who wants some "behind the scenes" into the making of Crazy Rich Asians, and anyone looking for a story about finding your way and artistic expression.
July 29, 2024
Thank you Penguin Random House for this ARC. Solid 4 stars. I listened to it as an audiobook and it’s narrated by the author who is also the director of Crazy Rich Asians and Wicked. I so loved this. What an amazing story about failing upward. I love that he didn’t shy away from talking about every single failure and what that meant to him. And more than that, it’s a story about legacy. And I mean this from the point of view of his parents. It’s also a love letter to the people who raised him and helped him live his dream. This is a story about family; The American Dream and how that impacts future generations. It’s also about navigating Hollywood when you think you’re ready but you’re not versus when you aren’t but you have to be. It’s a great memoir; easy and fun read.
P.S. I would love to see a movie about his parents meeting and then working together to build their family restaurant.
P.S. I would love to see a movie about his parents meeting and then working together to build their family restaurant.
September 12, 2024
I absolutely INHALED this memoir (practically in one sitting), narrated by Jon Chu himself because it contained just about everything that touches my own experience: Chinese American growing up in a majority Caucasian world, family Chinese restaurant business (*both* maternal and my paternal grandparents ran Chinese restaurants in New York), Los Altos (I lived in neighboring Palo Alto for over a decade), and... MUSICALS (I grew up watching/listening to musicals thanks to my dad). Don't forget Chef Chus restaurant in Los Altos where I have regularly dined! AND... "Crazy Rich Asians," the first movie that I saw on the big screen starring an all-Asian cast. WHAT?! It took for me to reach my FIFTIES for this to happen which is something that Jon addresses in his memoir. BEING SEEN indeed! Highly recommended for SURE! Especially for those of us who have not felt seen in books, on TV, and n movies.
July 22, 2024
A Fascinating Introspective!!
As a person who loved Crazy Rich Asians, I couldn’t resist this book. An intricate look into how this author made his way to making movies, and being raised as an Asian American. A very engaging and relatable story which I found to be both revealing and entertaining.
Incremental technology advances, movie magic innovations, influential directors, family, school and so much more. Very well done, and insights such as the dumpling making scene came from his real-life experience.
The book sequel to Crazy Rich Asians is out, and was excellent, titled Lies and Weddings. I hope they turn this into a movie with Jon M Chu as director.
***** I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book *****
As a person who loved Crazy Rich Asians, I couldn’t resist this book. An intricate look into how this author made his way to making movies, and being raised as an Asian American. A very engaging and relatable story which I found to be both revealing and entertaining.
Incremental technology advances, movie magic innovations, influential directors, family, school and so much more. Very well done, and insights such as the dumpling making scene came from his real-life experience.
The book sequel to Crazy Rich Asians is out, and was excellent, titled Lies and Weddings. I hope they turn this into a movie with Jon M Chu as director.
***** I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book *****
August 9, 2024
This is a very readable autobiography. It was informative and creative without being too dry. There were a few parts that were a little repetitive that I skimmed over a bit, but for the most part I enjoyed reading it. I was interested in the descriptions of how he "tells the story" when he's making a movie. There was meat to the story, too, not just an 'all about me' bio. This delves into Asian American hate crimes and trying to figure out his own existence. I am glad to read about using your fame to help others, especially in an underrepresented group of people. There are good human beings in the world!!
August 14, 2024
I think everyone can relate to this memoir by Jon Chu. This is a story of trying to find oneself and find our purpose. It was beautifully written & I enjoyed reading it in its entirety. I am very excited to see Wicked in my local movie theater as I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz as a kid just as Jon did. Also, I remember the magic of watching ET as well with my siblings on TV (we didn’t have the movie). So many times throughout the book I felt so connected to Jon and it’s sad how many times he didn’t feel so connected. Would love to meet him one day. Also, I love Chinese food, so going to Chef Chu’s is on my bucket list! Never have been to California so it will be a first!
September 7, 2024
I've been hearing of Jon M. Chu, particularly after Crazy Rich Asians, but he's somehow a director who flies under the radar. So getting to know more about his path to Hollywood and the struggles he's faced not just at work but with his identity really is inspiring. Not just him, but his family is also a great example of what a dream, hard work, familial support, and a little bit of luck can achieve.
The behind-the-scenes peeks we get at the highs and lows of getting a movie made and how the industry pigeonholes people into money-making slots is also fascinating, so there's something for everyone.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the inspiring read!
The behind-the-scenes peeks we get at the highs and lows of getting a movie made and how the industry pigeonholes people into money-making slots is also fascinating, so there's something for everyone.
Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the inspiring read!
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