It tells the story of a newly separated nisei couple, husband Nobu and wife Masi, and their individual and collective struggles with their past, which along with their marriage centered on Japanese tradition, despite their residing in the United States.
After what is implied to be many stressful years of mistreatment, Masi has recently left Nobu early in the story, due to his intolerably sexist nature, is able to move on, and begins dating the widower doctor Sadao.
Nobu does not similarly move on and begins to panic at the loss of Masi, although he still dates widowed restaurant owner Kiyoko as a way to get free meals.
Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times wrote "The Wash is imperfectly directed but not unmoving and full of complex, very real issues.
"[3] Writing for The Washington Post, Hal Hinson wrote the film "sticks closely by the sociological details of the Japanese and their community, but we can't help wanting something to stir us, something that's not merely accurate and well observed, but that galvanizes us".