This Canadian film is notable because it is Sandra Oh’s first feature film, released in 1994. In DOUBLE HAPPINESS, directed by Mina Shum, Oh plays Jade the dutiful daughter of a very traditional Chinese family living in Canada. Jade’s parents want nothing more than for Oh to marry a successful Chinese man and live a happy, prosperous life. Jade’s desire to be an actress is frowned upon by her parents for its instability. As Jade’s parents continuously find eligible Chinese bachelors for her to date, she finds herself living a double life, keeping the life that her parents wouldn’t approve of, such as her burgeoning romance with the slightly awkward and completely Caucasian English teacher (played by Callum Keith Rennie, in one of his first features) hidden from them. Much of what drives Jade’s behavior is the fact that her older brother was disowned by her parents, a situation that causes them significant pain. Naturally with such a delicate balance being played in secret, things are bound to be discovered, and so it is in DOUBLE HAPPINESS.
This was a great debut for Oh, who has since appeared in a number of Canadian and U.S. films, and achieved significant success on the television show “Gray’s Anatomy.”