The film stars Sandra Oh as Jade Li, an actress struggling to assert her independence from the expectations of her Chinese Canadian family.

Jade Li is a witty Chinese-Canadian aspiring actress who lives at home with her traditional Chinese family, which includes her strict father, her dutiful mother, and younger sister Pearl.

Her family tries to put on the perfect public persona at all costs so as to maintain their dignity as well as uphold their traditional Chinese values.

Therefore, although she manages to land a few bit parts on camera, Jade spends most of her time working in the shop owned by a family friend, performing the duties of a respectful daughter and suffering through arranged dates with prosperous young Chinese men (Including one who is gay).

Jade soon feels the pressure to juggle her competing identities even more carefully than usual, lest her choice of professions—and boyfriends—shame her father.

While on the date, Andrew reveals he is gay to a relieved Jade as he describes hiding his identity and managing to only be set up once a year.

Her dad is horrified that she is secretly dating a caucasian man and orders the family to move wordlessly inside the house abandoning the groceries.

However, the casting director is impressed with her acting abilities and recommends her for a role by a Hong Kong film company.

As everyone is going around reflecting on memories, Jade tells the story of the time she was meeting her father again upon his return to America.

Jade moves out shortly after, as her father tells her to leave the house key stating she wouldn’t need it anymore.

[4] Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle wrote the film "comes as close to the expression of multiculturalism as anything I've seen in a long time" and added, "As Jade, actress Sandra Oh gives a rich performance that conveys a satisfying sense of the character's dilemmas, passions, cheekiness, and talent.

"[7] Baumgarten gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and concluded, "Everywhere one turns in Double Happiness there is evidence of cultural differences and cognitive dissonance.