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CHINESE FEAST (1995) |
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Tsui Hark brings this tale of love and cookery to the big screen, but films about cookery usually is a box-office disaster, because what the hell can you write about it? But Chinese cuisine has always had a long history, and this is Hong Kong, where anything is practically possible. After all, it worked for Stephen Chow in God of Cookery. Vincent Chiu and Kenny Bee are the two most famous chefs in all of China. They participate in a competition at the beginning of the film to see who is the Master Chef. When Kenny Bee pulls out because his wife had to give birth, Chiu wins by default. Skip forward a few years, and we see Leslie Cheung trying to leave his triad background behind and start a new life as a chef. He meets Anita Yuen, the daughter of one of the most famous chefs in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, a sinister chef (Hung Yan Yan) is on a mission to take over all the best restaurants in Hong Kong. He challenges Yuen's father to a duel: to make dishes that were only made for past emperors of China - the fabled Manchu Han Cuisine. But Yuen's father has a stroke, and Yuen and Cheung have to recruit chefs to help them. In comes Vincent Chiu and Kenny Bee, the latter living as a recluse since the day his wife left him. They must first help Bee to regain his confidence and cookery skills, and in the finale, they must cook up some fantastic dishes to win the ultimate cooking prize: a golden wok (nah, only kidding). The story is forgettable, but the joy of the film
is watching these beautiful dishes being prepared and cooked. It is indeed
enough to make your mouth water. But fans of Vincent Chiu hoping to see
their hero in martial arts action will be disappointed as there is no
action in this comedy drama. The acting is average, and the comedy is
well done, but the film seems to lack the distinctive ingredients that
would make it a house special. If you enjoy cooking, or like Chinese elegant
cuisines, then watch this, otherwise, stay clear. |
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RATING 6 / 10 |