The Joy Luck Club (simplified Chinese: 喜福会; traditional Chinese: 喜福會; pinyin: Xǐ Fú Huì) is a 1993 American film about the relationships between Chinese-American women and their Chinese mothers. Directed by Wayne Wang, the film is based on the eponymous 1989 novel by Amy Tan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bass. The film was produced by Bass, Tan, Wang and Patrick Markey, while Oliver Stone served as an executive producer.
Four older women, all Chinese immigrants living in San Francisco, meet regularly to play mahjong, eat, and tell stories. Each of these women has an adult Chinese-American daughter. The film reveals the hidden pasts of the older women and their daughters and how their lives are shaped by the clash of Chinese and American cultures as they strive to understand their family bonds and one another.
The film was privately screened in sneak previews and film festivals before its wide theatrical release. With the film's $10.5–10.6 million budget, it was moderately successful in the box office. It received positive critical reactions, but also was criticized about male characters in the film.