Rating: 
Summary: A Veritable Smorgasbord Of Delights
Review: A veritable smorgasbord of all the things that make life worthwhile, including good friendship, love, food and sex, can be found in Ang Lee's "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman," the story of a widower who has raised three daughters on his own, and now that they are grown is ready to move on with his life. Chu (Sihung Lung), a celebrated chef who runs the kitchen of a huge restaurant, finds himself at an impasse however; his daughters, Jia-Jen (Kuei-Mei Yang), the eldest, a teacher, Jia-Chen (Chien-lien Wu), his second, an airline executive, and Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), the youngest, who works at a fast food restaurant, all still live with their father, and though they are adults (all in their twenties), he feels responsible for them, as they are still under his roof. They, on the other hand, feel responsible for him; he'll soon be retired, and they fear age is catching up with him. And it makes them each, in turn, think twice about career opportunities and any romantic entanglements that may appear on the horizon. it's a situation they all realize is not conducive to a happy, fulfilling and fully functional family life; the love is there, but it's seasoned with frustration, and no one seems to know what to do about it. Lee has crafted and delivered a complex, involving film, laced with poignancy and humor that deals with the kinds of problems most people face during the course of their lives. And, of course, there's the love, the many faces of which are all explored here. Food is the metaphor; Chu sets his table with a variety of tantalizing and exotic offerings, even as the table of life is set with like fare, and once set, it is up to the individual to sample what they will. Fittingly, it is at the dinner table that many of the meaningful events in the lives of the family members are revealed. Working from a screenplay written by Lee, James Schamus and Hui-Ling Wang, Lee uses the intricate emotional weave of the story to optimum effect with his ability to illuminate the sensibilities of his characters, and that he does it so well demonstrates the depth of his own insight into human nature. And that he can so proficiently transfer the emotions of the written page to the screen demonstrates his mastery of the art of film directing. As he proves with this film (as with films like "The Ice Storm" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), he is simply one of the best directors in the business. Lee's unique touch is also felt in the performances he exacts from his actors, a number of which are outstanding in this film, beginning with Lung, who brings Chu so credibly to life. Wang, Wu and Yang are also exemplary in their portrayals of Chu's daughters. To their credit-- as well as Lee's-- there's not a false moment to be found in their performances, all of which stand up to even the closest scrutiny. These are all very real people in a very real setting, which enables the audience to identify and relate to the characters and their story, assuring that connection which makes this film such a satisfying experience. The supporting cast includes Sylvia Chang (Jin-Rong), Winston Chao (Li Kai), Chao-jung Chen (Guo Lun), Lester Chit-Man Chan (Raymond), Yu Chen (Rachel), Jui Wang (Old Wen) and Ah Lei Gua (Madame Ling). As with real life, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" is far from predictable, and is filled with twists and turns, including a surprise at the end that equals anything M. Night Shyamalan could come up with. In the final analysis, this film is a delightful, entertaining reflection upon the human condition that will awaken your taste buds and prepare you for the feast of life. And, like life, it is there for the taking; grab it with both hands and embrace it. By the end, you'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie
Review: This is a nice movie about a father and his three daughters.It shows the way of life of each one of them, comparing their points of view, problems, etc., but not being complicated. The story itself is very interesting: easy to "digest," seasoned with many funny parts, and with a better-than-expected final for dessert. Also, if you like Chinese food, you'd want to go to eat it at the end of the movie, since it is an important part of the background. I just loved this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the box.
Review: Contrary to the description of the film on the box, this is a film describing a family in change. The father is a widower who is also a superb chef and who has three daughters. The eldest is a high school teacher and also a Christian. The middle daughter is an airline executive and the youngest is a burgr flipper at Wendy's when she isn't in school. The emotional lives of everyone is seen in an extremely well done movie. There are numerous lite moments as well as serious ones. The chef cooks school lunches for the daughter of his eldest daughter's friend and this soon becomes a mob scene as all the kids in the class are placing orders for lunch; one boy orders egg fried rice and is told, forget it, that is too simple. Dad does the laundry and pulls a jumble of pantyhose and bras out of the washer and tries to seperate one from the other and gives up. I've been there so I know the feeling and it is a fine touch. All the daughters meet men and ultimately become involved. The middle daughter's involvement is unusual as she is in the process of ending one relationship when she meets a new person at work. None of these meetings are what one would call typical and likely to progress anywhere; yet they do. This movie is excellent from start to finish. It is a glimpse of life in Taiwan that few if any westerners have ever seen. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Eat Drink Man Woman
Review: One of my favorite movies. Understated but packed with emotion. Poinant, funny and great acting. A must see
Rating:
Summary: Don't watch it when you're on a diet
Review: Excellent movie that you shouldn't miss. However, do not watch it when you're on a diet. Otherwise, you'll find out next that you're sitting in a Chinese resturant and ordering greasy but tasty foods.
Rating:
Summary: One additional nit-picking inaccuracy
Review: I found the 1991 Edition of the Who's Who in the ROC and found one more inaccuracy in the film. There's this governor's relative's wedding banquet in the movie and you get to see the governor showing his approval of the food. Curiously, the person that they show as governor is Wu Po-hsiung, but Wu Po-hsiung was never governor of Taiwan. He was once a Interior Minister as well as the Taipei City Mayor, but the Who's Who does not indcate that he was ever a governor.
Rating:
Summary: A few nit-picking inaccuracies
Review: It's been several weeks since I've last seen the movie, so I can't remember the names of all the characters. While this movie does a good job showing Taipei life, there are a few inaccuracies. In the scene where Jia-Chien plays a video game on the laptop computer with her colleague in the airline company, Jia-Chien remarks that the game is about killing aliens from outer space. Not really: the computer game is actually about a Taoist priest killing mutants and the undead. (I played that game myself). There's also this scene where we see Mr. Chu jogging in a park which is located near the Chiang Kai-shiek Memorial Hall. Later in his jog we see him meeting his future stepdaughter over at a bus stop. The stepdaughter is going to school. I know that I am complaining too much, but those scenes are not realistic in the sense that both Mr. Chu and the future stepdaughter live near Hoping East Road, which is of considerable distance from the Chiang Kai-shiek Memorial Hall. (I'll admit that Mr. Chu could have taken the bus to go to the jogging placed and that the future stepdaughter needed to transfer buses in order to go to school. Hopefully Mr. Chu didn't jog all the way from home to the CKS Memorial Hall in all that pollution.)
Rating:
Summary: A Glance into Chinese Culture
Review: Being an American of non-asian descent, I know little to nothing about the culture of the Far East. All I have ever seen of Japan and China has been through the eyes of Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Akira Kurosawa films. So when I have the opportunity to watch a movie that is not only well made but gives me the opportunity to learn more about such a far away and different culture, I jump at it. This was such a film. Let me first applaud the acting, especially by Mr. Lung (Mr. Chu) and Ms. Wu (Jia-Chien). They were not only convincing, but seductive in their roles. The story was realistic and, contrary to reviews by Leonard Maltin, was unpredictable. Who could have guessed the way the story would unwind, to the final Sunday dinner. What I found most engaging about the film was the character Jia-Chien. Her relationship with her family was complex. Lack of communication with her older sister led their love to become buried in angst and confusion. And although she set out to become a successful business woman, she struggled to find balance between her work and her love of cooking and her father. It became apparent to me that she was her fathers favorite daughter, and their apprehension toward showing their feelings was clouded by their lives outside the family, until they came to accept each other. The only other film about Chinese culture (not martial arts) that I have seen is Joy Luck Club, and although this did not feature the same level of drama and pain, I enjoyed it just as much. See this movie.
Rating:
Summary: feast for the eyes as well as the heart
Review: I simply adored this movie. The characters are so very real. You see them warts and all... their idiosynchrocies, quirks, talents, loves, etc. are all exposed to the point you love every character. I saw this in the theater with English subtitles, then saw it on video... the video wasn't labeled as to how it was placed on the tape... and sadly, in lieu of English subtitles, they dubbed in voices... a very bad move. The only Chinese I understand is what I order when I go out to eat... but even if you don't speak Chinese, you get so much from hearing the real actors' voices. They are quite expressive. I am learning disabled and read very slowly, but I was able to follow the dialog without difficulty with the subtitles and still tell what was going on. The talents displayed by the master chef & father in the film opens up your mind to another culture rich in history and talents. You really feel like you're a part of this family while watching the film and are emotionally attached to everyone in it. A high quality, relationship-rich film coverning 3 generations of life & love. Not a sappy "girl movie" but an experience. If anyone knows how/when/where to get this film on DVD, please let me know. I've been looking everywhere for it. It's probably available in China, but I'd have to have a copy w/ English subtitles.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle, fragrant and touchingly human
Review: This story revolves around an old chef and his family of three daughters. They meet every Sunday for a lavish dinner prepared by the chef, but apart from the fact that they live in the same house and perform this family ritual, they basically lead separate lives and keep their problems to themselves. Then over the course of a few weeks and a few Sunday dinners, someone gets pregnant, someone gets dumped, someone falls in love and someone falls out. Watch the show to find out where they end up after all these. It's a touching story about real people and their unspoken struggles, yet it's resolved in a graceful, heartwarming way. It's never preachy, soppy, dismal or drawn out and you just savour the story as it unfolds. Apart from that, the cooking scenes are also fascinating. And every dish is real.
|
