Eat Drink Man Woman

Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Ang Lee, James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang
Release Date: 1994
Genre: Foreign, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Runtime: 2 hrs, 4 mins
Awards: Oscar Nomination, among others
T-Meter Rating: 95%

My Rating: 4 stars

Eat Drink Man Woman @ IMDb
Eat Drink Man Woman @ Rotten Tomatoes
Trailer @ The New York Times

What film comes to mind at the mention of director Ang Lee? Most likely to be recalled is his most famous effort, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000), a masterpiece in its display of acrobatics, martial arts, and special effects. Perhaps it is Brokeback Mountain (2005), Lee's controversial exploration into sexuality, that comes to mind. With such big successes and little notoriety in America, it is not surprising that the film often regarded as Lee's greatest work, Yin shi nan nu (translated in English as Eat Drink Man Woman) has all but faded into the forgotten oblivion.

Eat Drink Man Woman tells of the trials and tribulations encountered by Chu, a master chef whose grown daughters slowly leave him in favor of independence and love, the latter of which is achieved by each daughter in a compellingly different fashion. The tale is tragic, yet situations are confronted and the solutions are, for the most part, refreshingly uplifting. Basically, it's Death of a Salesman sans the suicide, with wontons, Karaoke, oodles of announcements and unexpected wit.

Surprisingly, the one factor that usually works against foreign films actually assists Eat Drink Man Woman in its effectiveness: its script. Although I’m sure Chinese-speaking audiences cringe at the lack of consistency between the film's actual dialogue and the provided English subtitles, the constant use of proper titles and full names very accurately displays the formality with which the Chu clan lives. In addition, the abbreviated, and at times curt and catty chatter provided by the subtitles emphasizes the anxiety and confusion encountered throughout the story. These conversational patterns sit in stark contrast to those of us Americans who love to hear the sound of our own voices. And yet, the frequent brevity does not inhibit the inclusion of those ever-necessary enlightening one-liners, for they certainly abound.

Though very well scripted and equally as well performed by its cast, Eat Drink Man Woman's real brilliance lies in its details: the stunning close-ups, the roundabout tracking shots, the subtle cinematographic foreshadowing. Especially spectacular is Lee’s use of intricate camerawork with food, which makes his audience hungry not only for traditional Chinese cuisine, but for more of the film as well. He delicately highlights the action with his diverse soundtrack, cleverly slipping everything from traditional Chinese string melodies to eerie jazz riffs behind scenes without the audience even realizing.

Beyond the carefully fashioned details, however, Ang Lee has presented a genuinely compelling story that is not over-the-top. He cleverly addresses the themes of the everyman without being repetitive or unoriginal. Most importantly, though, he does not beat his viewers over the head with his message.


Images care of Amazon.com and The New York Times.