Chinese Take-Out (2011)

A well-ordered hardware store owner in Buenos Aires will see his life turn upside down when he helps a stranded Chinese man who doesn't speak a word of Spanish find his uncle in the bustling city. But can this coexistence bear fruit?

Director:

Sebastián Borensztein

Writer:

Sebastián Borensztein

Stars:

Ricardo Darín, Muriel Santa Ana, Ignacio Huang

11 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ricardo Darín	...	Roberto
Muriel Santa Ana	...	Mari
Ignacio Huang	...	Jun
Enric Cambray	...	Roberto joven (as Enric Rodríguez)
Iván Romanelli	...	Leonel
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joaquín Bouzas	...	Cliente 2
Julia Castelló Agulló	...	Italian Lover
Gustavo Comini	...	Chofer volquete
Vivian El Jaber	...	Rosa
Javier Pinto	...	Italian Lover
Derli Prada	...	Proveedor 1
Pablo Seijo	...	Cliente 1

Storyline

In Buenos Aires, the bitter and methodic Roberto is a lonely man and the owner of a hardware store. Roberto collects bizarre worldwide news in an album as a hobby and his acquaintance Mari has an unrequited love for him, but Roberto is always evasive. One day, Roberto sees a Chinese named Jun being expelled from a taxi while he is watching the landing of airplanes in the airport and he helps the man to stand up. Jun does not speak Spanish and shows a tattoo with an address on his arm. Roberto heads to the spot with Jun and discover that the place belonged to Jun's uncle that sold it three and half years ago. Roberto goes with Jun to the police station, to the China's embassy and to a Chinese neighborhood to seek out his uncle but it is a fruitless search. Roberto lodges Jun in his house and after a series of incidents, he finds a delivery boy to translate Jun and he learns the dramatic story of his life.

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Plot Keywords:

chinese | argentina | chinese abroad | friendship | commerce | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Argentina]

Country:

Argentina Spain

Language:

Spanish Mandarin

Release Date:

24 March 2011 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Chinese Take-Out

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aliwood Mediterráneo Producciones,Castafiore Films,Gloriamundi Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Estrenos Críticos: El episodio que va a contrarreloj (2011)

User Reviews

Excellent movie!

I need to say that Argentine cinema is surprising me more and more at each movie I watch. They are decades ahead of us here in Brazil. Not that we don't ever produce good works.

A rich cast and a good script makes Un cuento chino a excellent option to amuse you at any time, being you alone and sad or laughing with friends.

Trust me, the jokes and the faces are priceless. Ricardo Darín is at his best form, doing what he is best of. His character, Roberto, is an slang disturbed man. He owns a ironware store where he always counts hot many bolts are in the box, so he is not cheated. He turn off the lights every day at 23 pm, etc. One day he is sitting there near the airport, watching the planes takin' off, drinking his beer when this china is thrown off a moving cab. Roberto decide to help the poor boy and, since then, their lives will suffer some changes.