Yin shi nan nu (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 7 wins & 15 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 | daughter | food | 

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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:

PG

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

Old Wen: Old Chu, do'nt get upset. Girls eventually leave home. It was bound to happen.
Chu: I'm not upset. I hope they all move out, so I can have a quiet life.
Old Wen: Quiet life? I know you. What you want, you can't get. What you don't want, you can't get rid of. You're as repressed as a turtle. That old maid of yours, Jia-Jen, will stick to you for life unless you marry her off!
Chu: Marry who? Since she lost her asshole college boyfriend she's never looked at another man. You know that.
Old Wen: And now she has the perfect ...
[...]

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Connections

Followed by Yin shi nan nü - Hao yuan you hao jin (2012)

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Soundtracks

WORDLESS SONG
Vocals by Elizabeth Cheng and Chen-Chia Cheng
Lyrics by Ta-Yo Lo
Music by Ta-Yo Lo
Arrangment by Chi-Yuan Chen
Courtesy of Rock Records and Tapes

User Reviews

One of my All Time Favorites!!!!

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman is one of the best films of all time. It has all the elements of a great movie. From the opening shot to the final I was absolutely riveted to this compelling, truthful, beautiful, and humorous look into the lives of a Taiwanese family. Ang Lee, known quite famously now for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and the upcoming "Hulk" has done a masterful job of directing and storytelling. The cinematography is INCREDIBLE. The movie as mentioned focuses on on Widower, Master Chef Chu, who is having a hard time relating to his three independent daughters. He attempts to communicate his love for them by creating these incredible gourmet dinners. The daughters are very defined, each with a different personality. The eldest, is a Christian, which is the first time in a movie I have ever seen, where a Christian is portrayed in a favorable light. She is struggling with being an old maid and the fear of leaving her Father uncared for if she does get married. The second daughter is wild and rebellious. She is portrayed extremely well by the ultra sexy Chien Lien Wu. This woman is absolutely stunning!!! She is torn between three things, her career, her desire to be independent, and her liason's with two men, one who is married. The third daughter is portrayed sweetly and innocent who ends up stealing her best friends boyfriend away. There are many plot twists and turns, but in the end, the movie finishes in a beautiful and happy way. I have now watched this movie twenty times and I think it is a great contribution to the film world. I wish more people knew about it here in the States. This movie can move you to being a better person. On a side note, I highly recommend you order some Chinese food, because you will be starving for it before the movie is over.

Details

Country:

Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin French

Release Date:

2 July 1994 (Taiwan)

Also Known As:

Salé, sucré

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