Eat Drink Man Woman

Eat Drink Man Woman is a 1994 Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee.

The movie is about a semi-retired and widowed Chinese chef and his family. At the start of the film, he lives with his three single daughters. One is a teacher, one is a business woman and one is a college student. As the film goes on, each daughter becomes involved with a man and moves out of the house. All except the oldest daughter who coincidentally had the most difficult relationship with her father.

The father is called in to 'save' a meal at a restaurant. It is then that we realize how sage his wisdom of the kitchen is. At the beginning of the movie, he is cooking a tremendous amount of food with a tremendous amount of patience and precision. We are introduced to his daughters....each one single and seemingly uninterested in relationships. Every Sunday, the four of them have a grand dinner. 9/10 those dinners are quite awkward. AS the movie progresses, each daughter comes across a man that is able to grab their interest. The school teacher becomes interested in a gym teacher she believes is interested in her but actually hasn't made any moves towards her. The college student falls for the boy who is actually interested in her co-worker. Yet, her co-worker shows signs of not caring for him at all. The daughter on the other hand is on the other side of that fence and the two decide to be together very early. The third, oldest and most successful daughter becomes entangled with a new hire. But instead of the two falling in love and creating a more lasting relationship, decide to cut it out. The fathers loneliness begins to grow as he loses his taste buds....which is tragic for a chef.

The major theme of the film is necessity. Eat....we need food to live. Drink...we need to drink....the last two, Man and Woman...are what shape the film. Before becoming engaged to a man, the two women seem to lead a hollow existance. They were living, but it just seemed as though something was missing. They finally move on however, when they get involved with men. And I guess the same thing can be said about the men...especially the boy the college going daughter meets. He leads a hopeless life until he becomes involved and in love with her.

I thought the movie was very good, and very comical. The title and theme were are my favorite parts of the movie. I love metaphors and symbology and this movie was filled with both. It focuses heavily on mortality, and the steps to be taken so as not to squander that mortality. I don't necessarily agree that companionship is needed to survive...but I can see where the message spawns from. Ang Lee is a very talented director and very well rounded.