Wo Te Po Po Tsen Me Pa Chuan Chuan Kao Tiu Le, internationally known under the stupid title U Motherbaker - The Movie, is a Taiwanese comedy movie based upon the popular television series of the same title. The movie revolves around middle-aged mother and cake shop owner Su Lin Tsai Hsiang who is desperate to meet popular actor and singer OO. She makes her dream come true when she infiltrates a party as a waitress and invites the overwhelmed artist for a ride to a beautiful lookout on the outskirts of Taipei late at night. Things get a sinister turn when OO mysteriously vanishes right after the eventful night. Since Su Lin Tsai Hsiang might have been the last person who has seen OO, she is eager to investigate to clear her name and find out what happened to the mysterious artist.
This film convinces on a few levels. The story has a few decent surprises, turns and twists that keep the movie overall entertaining through a running time of one hundred thirteen minutes. Lead actress Chung Hsin-Ling impresses with quirky charisma as she turns out to be the greatest actress by a mile in this film. The portrayal of family issues, social media and international stardom are treated in a sarcastic way that offers not only solid entertainment but also some food for thought.
However, the movie isn't without its flaws. It slightly overstays its welcome with a plodding middle section and could have been cut by at least twenty minutes. The film features too many sub-stories that range from mildly interesting to downright forgettable. Aside from the lead actress, the other actresses and actors can't impress much which is due to excessive overacting that makes this film look like a childish comic book at times.
At the end of the day, this film can only be recommended to fans of the television series and anyone interested in Taiwanese comedy movies. The film is entertaining, dynamic and quirky while it lasts but doesn't offer much that is worth remembering in the long run. Cineasts should however take note of excellent actress Chung Hsin-Ling who deserves attention and acclaim for her performance. She has been acting in more than forty movies and television series, so there are certainly better choices to appreciate her remarkable skills than in this overall just below average Taiwanese comedy movie.
