Could be most 1st generation
Ok so I am typical midwest caucasion American. Married to an Indian who came to the country when he was 24. Results of 25 years looking in. Seen similar examples of all of the "stereotypes" shown in the film.
1. the one that pretends he is 100% American no immigrants in the family. As if any of those exist. Pretending they don't know the traditional ways of doing things even when they do. (greeting his grandfather) I've seen a lot of 1st gen Indians who refuse to join hands or touch feet.
2. the one who fights stereotypes by putting down anyone who exemplifies any stereotypical mannerisms (the car fanatics in this movie)
3. the ones who learn to float between the two worlds. knowing the rules of both their ancestry and the world at large.
4. parents who only want their kids to be doctors, lawyers and other "professional" types. at least until forced to admit the kid just isn't made to be a 9-9 office guy.
Many many more.
My thing is OK usually not everything is thrown in your face during one night. But after all it's a film. It has time constraints and for dramatic affect puts everything in a pressure cooker. I thought it did a pretty good job of it. Ben's friends weren't the guys who embarressed themselves. The girl at the party was. Most friends accept the bicultural stuff. Most are intrigued. Some are a little scared of insulting by accident (criminy I still make cultural mistakes after 25 years)
Indians have a term ABCD American Born Confused Desi(Indian). I've met many of them. But I have seen that normally once they get to be in their mid 20s they come to terms with the duality of their life. But the teen years. is a roller coaster of hating that duality because they want to be just like everyone else.
I'm not sure if I actually have a point here other than to say that
1. I think they showed a fairly accurate snapshot of what goes on in MANY, not all, but MANY 1st generation households. Maybe all the glitches weren't worked out. But because I don't know Filipino traditions I didn't see the mistakes.
2. I think they showed how many 1st generations grow up. By realizing being embarassed about your parents comes with being a teen no matter what nationality. Come to terms with all the aspects of your life.
Is it a Gone with the Wind. No. But it is moving. Dramatic. And shows the lead and his father both changing.