8 reviews
Tseng Chang is a great chef in Singapore, but he has no customers; his rare customer asks for the pork with less fat and he throws them out. His hope is that his grandson, Henry Lau, will get into a great engineering school. When his admiring landlord tells him that he is so far behind on the rent he will have to shut him down, Chang has a heart attack, and Lau sneaks into a television cooking competition in Shanghai, hoping to compete against master television chef Chin Han and win a million dollars to save the restaurant and grandfather he loves. But there is another story, of family and love and loss that is seen through the eyes of Han's girl friend and producer, Michelle Yeoh.
Movies about cooking have become their own genre over the last few decades. One of the pleasures of modern Asian movies is their free mixing of genres to produce something novel and involving -- like creative cooking. Gina Kim's movie is a feast, with its images of the crowded streets of old cities, the bright vistas of modern cities, the sumptuous splendor of food, and, of course, the pleasures of a sentimental story about people who love each other.
Movies about cooking have become their own genre over the last few decades. One of the pleasures of modern Asian movies is their free mixing of genres to produce something novel and involving -- like creative cooking. Gina Kim's movie is a feast, with its images of the crowded streets of old cities, the bright vistas of modern cities, the sumptuous splendor of food, and, of course, the pleasures of a sentimental story about people who love each other.
I suggest to watch this movie just for entertainment and enjoy the culinary aspects. Don't over analyze and just enjoy the flow and laughs. The plot is a bit unbelievable, the acting is ok, some supporting characters especially the chefs in the competition are funny and the general mood of the movie is happy and fast paced.
- mosquitocyn
- Sep 16, 2021
- Permalink
I found this looking for food movies, and this is a great movie about food, but it is so much more. This movie is about the complexities of family, how one generation always wants the next to have it better, and how that can lead to problems, and mistakes made on both sides. This movie is also about overcoming those mistakes, and being able to move forward as a family. This is a great movie, and I would recommend it to anyone.
- oryansreflection
- May 24, 2019
- Permalink
This movie could have beem so much more in hands of a capable director. Story has so many holes that you just have to skip lousy parts, and acting is often infantile and simply put bad. Ought to be foodie movie, but it completely misses on oportunity to show cooking techniques during masterchef competition. It does not work on characters and their interaction, oversimplifies cooking parts and lacks rhythm within story narration (for example, to check someone's identity one could simply ask for ID card or passport). If you are a movie and foodie afficionado, don't waste your time on this movie. Rather watch (or re-watch) Masterchef Season 3 with blind chef Christine Ha, or if you haven't yet, watch The Hundred Foot Journey, Eat Drink Man Woman, Babette´s Feast,. Sorry, I really can't recommend this movie. For light-fun movies go with Chef (2014) or german Soul Kitchen which at least has good rock and roll soundtrack.
- dpetrov-43951
- Jan 11, 2021
- Permalink
- jessiepamele
- Apr 6, 2024
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