The Donut King (2020) User Reviews

A reminder of how immigrants help build this country, year after year

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 1 November 2020]

"The Donut King" (2020 release; 90 min.) is a documentary about the life and times of Ted Ngoy. As the movie opens, we are in today's southern California, as we are intro to various donut shops and its owners, talking about (in)famous Uncle Ted, who started it all back in the 1970s. We then go back in time as Ted Ngoy talks about his upbringing in Cambodia, and how he and his wife and kids fled the Khmer Rouge in 1075, ending up in a tent city in California, along with tens of thousands other Cambodian refugees. It's not long after that in Tustin, CA where Ngoy is introduced to donuts to his immediate delight, and he enrolls for donut-making training at Winchell's Donuts... At this point we are less than 15 min. into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the debut feature-length film for writer-director Alice Gu. Here she retells the improbable story of Ted Goy, who feels the civil war in Cambodia, only to find his feet in southern California, where eventually builds an empire of donut shops. And that is just the beginning of it! I must admit that I had never heard of this guy, and it was a delight to get to know more about his accomplishments (both successes and failures, I might add). Imagine the audacity of President Ford, imploring Congress in 1975 to open the borders to tens of thousands of Cambodian refugees as the Khmer Rouge is overtaking the last parts of Cambodia. Can you imagine it today? I say this as an immigrant myself (I arrived in the US for graduate studies in the early 80s and eventually settled here). Besides the immigrant story, the documentary of course also focuses on the donut industry. Along the way we learn that there are 5,000 (!) independent/family-owned donut shops in California, of which more than 90% are owned by Cambodian-Americans. Absolutely amazing. The last part of the film focuses on how these shops survive and even thrive in today's age against big corporations like Dunkin Donuts.

"The Donut King" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, fully adhering to all COVID-19 protocols. Not that it mattered, as the early Saturday evening screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (1 other person besides myself). If you have any interest in watching a good ol' fashioned immigration story or are simply a lover of donuts, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater (if you can), on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

compelling documentary

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 10 October 2021]

Ted Ngoy is the Donut King. This documentary tells his story and the story of Cambodian refugees opening independent donut shops throughout southern California.

This is standard biopic of a successful refugee for the first thirty minutes. He comes from nothing and becomes a big success. It's a good solid immigrant story and a fun insight into 80's Cali. I did not see the turn coming. It's a very human story and that is the movie's greatest strength. The man has both good and bad. It's a struggle that is in all of us.

It's a heart-warming and surprising story

[cheer88 · 8/10 · 19 June 2021]

If you think this is about donuts, it is only half a story. Actually, it is more about life. Throughout all the ups and downs, there is peace in the end.

Most Asian people do not feel comfortable to wash their dirty laundry in front of others. This one indeed did that and even dug deeper. There are not many movies about Asian Americans' struggle and trimphone, This one has a well planted storyline and contents. To the end, I did not feel sorry for the donut king. He found peace in life and moved on. Life is the process itself. Most of time, we are too eager to get to the final and forget to enjoy the scenery on the way.

It is a nice film to watch without pretenses. I would recommend.

About so much more than donuts

[RandyFoxglove · 9/10 · 8 April 2021]

Beautifully crafted, emotionally engaging, and filled in some of the blanks with my Cambodia in the 70s history. An Excellent Insight into an overlooked community. Powerful film that is certainly worth the 1.5 hour investment.

How Cambodian immigrants came to rule the L.A. Donut business

[gortx · 13 June 2021]

Los Angeles has Winchell's, Krispy Creme and, a new infusion of Dunkin' Donuts outlets, but, the breakfast pastry business is still dominated locally by independent Cambodian bakers and entrepreneurs.

Alice Gu's entertaining Documentary traces the history of that development through the life of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who was a General in his homeland who fled to America at the end of the Vietnam war. 'Uncle Ted' as he became to be known by his larger Cambodian family, started off with one shop and soon built a mini-empire when he sponsored dozens of his fellow refugees and helped them set up their own donut stores (taking a cut, of course).

It's a fascinating tale of the American dream come true (Bush Sr. Even awarded Ngoy a Presidential Award. Unfortunately, Ngoy had personal demons, including a gambling addiction and lost it all. Even with his personal downfall, the Cambodian community has continued to have a strong presence in the local donut market with generations following in the footsteps of Ngoy and his extended family's in the business.

Director Gu does a good job piecing together her story using documentary footage (and some animation) to fill in on the history of the Cambodian conflict. She does seem to soft-pedal some of the negative aspects of Ngoy's personal life. There seems to be more to the story which is more hinted at than is shown here. Still, a colorful tale of how a tight knit and rather small community has battled the big corporations and more than held its own.

A doughnut is so much more than you thought

[thejdrage · 9/10 · 24 February 2022]

This is one of those "stranger than fiction" documentaries that has twists and turns and people you care about and want to care about.

It's how America was built. And how people fall.

It is educational in a way that you want to hear about it - and probably won't forget - which is good, in this case.

This is well worth your time! It's a feel good documentary even when it's not exactly "happy".

If the Wolf of Wall Street Sold Donuts in California

[yenfu-50515 · 10/10 · 31 October 2020]

This movie was an emotional roller coaster, following the story of Ted Ngoy. Best I can describe this film as is the Wolf of Wall Street in Asian America, documentary form. From the love story, struggles, and support both internally and eternally for a culture and community, this documentary covers it all.

While I wish they dug a bit deeper into the pits of gambling addiction that led to the demise of Ted and his family's empire, I understand the Director's take on keeping it light. At the time of filming, a lot of forgiveness and peace have been made and overall consensus was forgiveness, so there wasn't much turmoil or negativity to cover.

Overall the film takes you on a wonderful journey cover decades and decades of Donut history, how 1 man shaped America's donut culture, and how the current generation of donut owners are paving their own path. An absolute joy to watch - be sure to have a donut by your side once you begin to watch it because it will having you craving for one.

Behold the donut. The donut be-holed.

[ThurstonHunger · 7/10 · 16 June 2023]

As this well-paced and engaging makes clear, there are a great variety of donuts. That said the quintessential donut is an item defined by its absence, and that emptiness is precisely located at the center of it.

You can glaze it, cover it with sprinkles but still the hole remains.

Perhaps a touch too philosophical for this film?, Then again consider the Donut King, and how heavy his doughy crown weighs upon him after watching this.

As I get older it sure is hard to separate the sweet and the sour. This film packs in a lot of heartache within an overall optimistic outlook, no small feat considering the impetus for the Cambodian donut diaspora. 4 million out of 7 million.

The scenes (animated but nonetheless harrowing) of the separation of families paired with the graceful grit of Chuong Pek Lee were part of this assorted box of tales, including several forays into freakonomic flavors (the corporate interviews were so wonderfully out of place with the Mom and Pop shop shots). Pink box supply chain moves, instagram flash mobs, Midas touches, one-armed bandits, child labor, a blood-oath bond broken and more.

Savor the flavor, but respect the holes in history and your own soul as well.

Excellent movie about achieving the American Dream

[tody711 · 9/10 · 28 May 2021]

How a poor non english speaking refugee can come to AMerica and in a short time become very successful. Their secret? Family. Hard working family... The family all works together to achieve the success of all. The failure of the family structure in America (mainly due to massive welfare handouts by the government) has put being American-born a huge disadvantage . Being born an American is no longer an asset, but a disadvantage. Notice how all the small children pitched in and helped. None of them went looking for free handouts.

Wow Donuts

[GLICKSTER7 · 9/10 · 5 June 2021]

Who doesn't love donuts? I had great things about this and most docs are hit and miss. If you like donuts and immigrant stories, this is a must watch. Do yourself a favor and grab some donuts for when you watch this.

An incredible story, very well told

[martinpgibson · 9/10 · 28 May 2022]

An amazing story about a man who started from nothing, gained it all, and then lost it all, and ended up right back where he started. It's a story about greed and addiction and the tragic consequences it can have on a family. The movie has an excellent moral teaching about the importance of contentment and not falling for temptation. The documentary is amazing as well. To get the original people reliving their experiences and reuniting was powerful to watch.

The Donut King: A Common Dream... A Supporter of 187?

[babyjaguar · 7/10 · 8 November 2020]

This documentary was a strong study of U S. immigration story via a biography of Ted Ngoy, inventor of the "pink" bakery boxes and his wife Christy. This documentary has very strong visual material on refugees stories from Cambodia to California.

Especially news clips of the first Ladies (Ford/Carter adminstrations) and the economic plight of one Cambodian family exceedingly achieving an American dream. Similar to so many stories of non-White US families.

Where one family serves as a host for another entering refugee families. Who later usually repay their hosts with endless hours of labor, but in the end learn new job skills, that they go off to do their own enterprises... the American dream.

In this case, it's the American pastry invention of the donuts if the pot of gold. Within a micro economic perspective, the film turns into a study of Southern Californian donut industry. It clearly shows on how the Ngoy family was a very influential force.

Then the film's how what usually happen with some immigrant families's mismanagement of funds. In this case, addictions play a role. But it also how much Ngoy supported Cambodian refugees and also it cultural community with his own funds.

Then there always a continuation of contradictions, where as Ngoy's presence as a financial backer to conservative Californian politics, like Pete Wilson.

Wilson was notorious advocate of anti immigration, with the 187 proposition. What would the "donut King" be supportive of then types of politicians, go figure.

What A Beautiful Tale

[helenahandbasket-93734 · 10/10 · 4 June 2021]

I have to say how sad it makes me that kids are no longer learning who Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were and the human atrocities committed- how have we lost these stories in world history? I remember sponsoring a Cambodian family and learning so much from them; I realized at 10 years old, I was lazy and spoiled. The family that lived with us taught me and my family so much, and I'm forever grateful for the experience they gave to us. These stories need to be back in the public consciousness.

What the Cambodian refugees taught us was, WE had to do our part to ensure their success- the government didn't do it, they simply got them here, gave them temporary shelter, and they had to find their way with the help of Americans who reached out. What a wonderful lesson these immigrants gained from us, while we learned from them at the same time. California's governor, 'Moon Beam' Brown, didn't even WANT them there, but the people stepped up and took over. Thanks to President Ford, they came anyway, and the rest is history.

When we finally absorb the lessons of our past, perhaps we will implement them again. A hand up, not a hand out; come here LEGALLY, work hard, follow the laws, and the American dream is yours to realize. We have people here that were born and raised here that cannot seem to absorb these lessons, but immigrants fleeing a murderous regime were/are so grateful and continue to be a shining light on the torch of lady liberty.

A beautiful film that does a good job of explaining what these people fled and how they succeeded so well.

An addiction or a character flaw?

[emilio-7-298172 · 8/10 · 18 June 2021]

Ted Ngoy was a Cambodian refuge who rose to prominence from the success of a chain of donut stores. Ted's rise to donut king began from the moment he first tasted a donut. He wanted to learn all he could about the donut business. He began working for Winchell's, the largest operator of donut stores in Los Angeles. Once he learned the ins and outs of the donut business, he left to start his own donut shop.

His modest success allowed him to sponsor other Cambodian refugees. Once in America, Ted offered to teach his fellow countrymen the donut business and persuaded them to open their own donut shops. In return, they would enter a lease arrangement with Ted, providing him with thousands of dollars a month in lease payments.

Ted became very wealthy and was well respected. He threw it all away over an addiction. An addiction that in many ways wiped out all the good he had done prior. In looking back over his rise, it's hard not to think that his benevolence early on had more to do with the possibility of income for himself rather than to help other refugees. I won't spoil the story here about the addition that caused his downfall. I will only say that I don't believe it was his only character flaw.

Worth watching...I never met a donut I didn't like

[michelleoverton · 10/10 · 19 December 2021]

Wow who knew donuts meant so much to Cambodians who came to America fleeing their country home! Touching documentary. Really makes you see the world for its hardships and the resilience of people! I enjoyed this documentary not just for the donuts but the story of giving, freedom and opportunity!