Interior Chinatown | An Innovative Story about Race and Pop Culture

4.5/5 stars

William Wu isn’t the main character. He’s just a Generic Asian Man. He dreams of being the Kung Fu Guy, the most prestigious role someone that looks like him can play. Only one person tells him he needs to dream bigger. His mother. Told in the form of a screenplay, Interior Chinatown is a hilarious and complex story of racism and pop culture in America. 

When I began Interior Chinatown I was expecting a typical screenplay. Instead, I read a really intricate story that ebbed and flowed between the TV world and William’s real world. It took concentration on my part to grasp, but as I continued reading, the style got much easier. I enjoyed how I wasn’t always sure if the story was William’s reality or the TV series. 

The story was both comedic and relatable. It was a unique investigation into Hollywood and the typecasting of people of color. The entire story of William was emotional. I witnessed a protagonist working hard to reach a certain role, but still remaining an obedient member of the system. I saw how his fellow actors also played the game because that was just how the system worked. It was a complex story, at times a bit sad, but told in such a creative way I found myself nodding in agreement and learning without immediately realizing it. 

Interior Chinatown definitely met my expectations and offered me, an Asian-American, some representation. I loved the screenplay format and would recommend it to anyone wanting a “lighter” novel that investigates race.