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Eat Drink Man Woman
飲食男女
1994 123 min Taiwan, United States of America 6+
★8.0
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director: Ang Lee
Trailers
Description
Retired and widowed Chinese master chef Chu lives in modern day Taipei, with his three attractive daughters, all of whom are unattached. Soon, each daughter encounters a new man in their lives. When these new relationships blossom, stereotypes are broken and the living situation within the family changes.
US Gross:
$7.29M
Worldwide:
$24.19M
Starring
Sihung Lung
Actor
Kuei-Mei Yang
Actor
Wang Yu-wen
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1995
— Best International Feature Film
Golden Globe 1995
— Best International Feature Film
BAFTA 1995
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman is a warm, soulful family drama that uses the ritual of elaborate Sunday dinners to explore the complexities of generational conflict and human connection. While some critics feel the heavy emphasis on culinary metaphors borders on literalism, the consensus celebrates the film as a masterful, touching observation of life's universal themes.
| Acting | Sihung Lung anchors the film with a dignified and deeply resonant performance that serves as the emotional core of the family. | |
| Direction | Ang Lee displays a masterfully reliable touch, skillfully blending warm family narratives with insightful observations on human relationships. | |
| Production | The film elevates the preparation of food into a visually stunning, central art form that serves as a profound metaphor for the characters' personal lives. | |
| Ending | The concluding twist forces a total reinterpretation of the family dynamics, adding a layer of depth that elevates the film beyond a standard melodrama. | |
| Screenplay | Some viewers find the constant interplay of culinary metaphors to be over-explained, arguing that literalizing themes like 'yin and yang' occasionally weakens the narrative's subtlety. |