Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

A senior chef lives with his three grown daughters; the middle one finds her future plans affected by unexpected events and the life changes of the other household members.

Director:

Ang Lee

Writers:

Ang Lee, James Schamus

Stars:

Sihung Lung, Kuei-Mei Yang, Yu-Wen Wang

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sihung Lung	...	Chu
Yu-Wen Wang	...	Jia-Ning
Chien-Lien Wu	...	Jia-Chien
Kuei-Mei Yang	...	Jia-Jen
Sylvia Chang	...	Jin-Rong
Winston Chao	...	Li Kai
Chao-jung Chen	...	Guo Lun
Chit-Man Chan	...	Raymond
Yu Chen	...	Rachel
Ah-Lei Gua	...	Madame Liang (as Ya-Lei Kuei)
Chi-Der Hong	...	Class Leader
Gin-Ming Hsu	...	Coach Chai
Huel-Yi Lin	...	Sister Chang
Shih-Jay Lin	...	Chief's Son
Chin-Cheng Lu	...	Ming-Dao

Storyline

Senior Master Chef Chu lives in a large house in Taipei with his three unmarried daughters, Jia-Jen, a chemistry teacher converted to Christianity, Jia-Chien, an airline executive, and Jia-Ning, a student who also works in a fast food restaurant. Life in the house revolves around the ritual of an elaborate dinner each Sunday, and the love lives of all the family members.

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Plot Keywords:

chef | chinese food | cooking | father daughter relationship | daughter | 

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Taglines:

¡Algo nuevo y delicioso para atraer el amor! (Mexico)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin French

Release Date:

3 August 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eat Drink Man Woman

Filming Locations:

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Park, Taipei City, Taiwan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$155,512, 7 August 1994

Gross USA:

$7,294,403

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,294,403

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ang Lee Productions, Central Motion Pictures, Good Machine

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of 2016, this is the only film made by director Ang Lee to be set in his native Taiwan.

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Goofs

As Chu is downing shots at the last Sunday dinner, he spills some on the collar of his jacket. When he stands up to makes his announcement, the stain is gone.

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Quotes

Chu: Life should not be like cooking: you need to wait until all ingredients are prepared.

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Connections

Featured in The Essence of Life: Ang Lee on 'Eat Drink Man Woman' (2015)

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Soundtracks

LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH
Vocal by Anthony Yiu-Ming Wong (as Anthony Wong)
Lyrics by Yiu-Fai Chow
Music by Anthony Yiu-Ming Wong (as Anthony Wong)/Tak-Choi Choi
Arrangment by Anthony Yiu-Ming Wong (as Anthony Wong)/Tak-Choi Choi
Courtesy of Music Factory

User Reviews

A moving insight into family and tradition

I came across Yin Shi Nan Nu just by chance, when one day I was sorting DVD's in my local store. I was curious about the name in Spanish, and I have seen other movies by Ang Lee, but I have never repented for my sudden decision to take the movie home. This is a brilliant portrait of a family on the verge of being torn apart by their personal differences and the ominous presence of modernity, which has started to undermine the roots of the traditional Taiwanese family life. The presence of traditional Chinese Cuisine, in which Chu is both a master and the heir to hundreds of years of knowledge, serves as the perfect background to place the characters, as a metaphor for a way of life that is quickly disappearing, threatened by fast food and changes in family values. The director does not, however, focuses on mellow or sweetened scenes to show the conflict, but he maintains a humorous tone throughout the movie, placing the actors' performances on subtle gestures and witty lines which rely heavily on understatement and comedy-like situations. The basic premise of the movie suggests that change is not only inevitable but also necessary. However, the old values still need to be cherished and passed on to the next generation since they are the foundations which give sense and meaning to a life which tends to assimilate happiness to disposable items and economic success. In doing so, Chu and her daughters get reconciled, as well as their traditional background comes to terms with modernity.